INSAT-3D Satellite successfully placed in Geosynchronous Orbit

India’s advanced weather satellite INSAT-3D, launched in the early hours of July 26, 2013 from Kourou, French Guyana, has successfully been placed in Geosynchronous orbit after three orbit raising manoeuvres commanded from ISRO`s Master Control Facility at Hassan. 

Giving out the orbital parameters of INSAT-3D, the department said the satellite’s apogee (the farthest point to earth) was 35,799 km and its perigee (the nearest point to earth) was 35,469 km. 

The satellite’s inclination of the orbit with respect to the equator is 0.23 degree, it said, adding that the orbital period was 23 hours and 48 minutes.

Though there was an anomalous behaviour of the satellite after the deployment of its solar panel, the Mission Operations Team of ISRO could immediately bring the Satellite into normalcy using the prescribed contingency procedures and then resume the orbit-raising operations.

INSAT-3D is now moving towards its final geostationary orbital location of 82 degree East longitude and on August 6, 2013 it will reach this destination. Subsequently, the two meteorological payloads (Imaging System, Atmospheric Sounder), as well as the two Transponders (designed for the Meteorological Data Relay and Satellite-aided Search and Rescue system) will be activated by August 8, 2013.

Source: http://cablequest.org/news/national-news/item/2945-insat-3d-satellite-successfully-placed-in-geosynchronous-orbit.htmlSource: http://cablequest.org/news/national-news/item/2945-insat-3d-satellite-successfully-placed-in-geosynchronous-orbit.html