INSAT-3C Reaches Its Space Home

INSAT-3C satellite of ISRO, which was launched by Ariane on January
24, 2002 from Kourou in French Guyana, has been successfully placed in
its final geo-stationary orbit and located at 74 deg East longitude.

It may be recalled that, after the injection of the satellite into
geo-stationary transfer orbit by Ariane launch vehicle, orbit-raising
manoeuvres were carried out from Master Control Facility (MCF),
Hassan, by firing the 440 Newton Liquid Apogee Motor of the satellite
to place it in the geo-stationary orbit. At the end of these
manoeuvres on January 30, 2002, the satellite was located at 63 deg
East longitude and it was drifting towards its designated orbital
slot. In this drift orbit, deployment of antennas and solar panels of
the satellite was carried out on January 31, 2002 and it was placed in
three-axes stabilised mode on February 1, 2002.

In the last four days, station acquisition manoeuvres were
successfully conducted from MCF, Hassan, by firing the 10 Newton
Reaction Control Thrusters on board to position the satellite
precisely at 74 deg East longitude. INSAT-3C will be maintained in
this location for the rest of its service life.

In the coming weeks, the payloads comprising 24 C-band transponders,
six extended C-band transponders, two S-band transponders and the
mobile satellite service transponders will be tested before INSAT-3C
is commissioned in to service by the end of February 2002.