PM Narendra Modi hails ISRO scientists after GSAT-11 launch

ISRO launched GSAT-11, the country's heaviest satellite, which promises to boost broadband services in India.

Photo: Twitter/@ISRO

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday heaped praise on the Indian Space Research Organisation in a congratulatory message after the successful launch of GSAT-11 satellite.

The GSAT-11 is the country's heaviest satellite and was launched by an Arianespace rocket from the French Guiana in the early hours of Wednesday. It promises to boost broadband services in India.

Congratulating ISRO for the accomplishment, PM Modi said the scientists here inspire Indians across the world. "A major milestone for our space programme, which will transform the lives of crores of Indians by connecting remote areas! Congrats to @isro for the successful launch of GSAT-11, which is the heaviest, largest and most-advanced high throughput communication satellite of India," he tweeted.

A major milestone for our space programme, which will transform the lives of crores of Indians by connecting remote areas!

Congrats to @isro for the successful launch of GSAT-11, which is the heaviest, largest and most-advanced high throughput communication satellite of India.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 5, 2018

India is proud of our scientists, who keep innovating and setting high standards of scale, achievements and succcess. Their remarkable work inspires every Indian. @isro

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 5, 2018

ISRO has said that  GSAT-11 is going to be the "richest space asset" for India. "The satellite has 38 spot beams as well as eight sub beams, which would cover the entire country, including the remote places ... It is going to provide something like 16 GBPS data link services to the country," said ISRO chairman K Sivan.

GSAT-11 is a next generation "high throughput" communication satellite configured around ISRO's I-6K Bus, and its designed lifetime is more than 15 years. The satellite will be initially placed in the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit and later, raised to the Geostationary Orbit by firing the on-board Liquid Apogee Motor.

The GSAT-11 is the fore-runner in a series of advanced communications satellites with multi-spot beam antenna coverage over Indian mainland and islands, the ISRO said. The satellite will play a vital role in providing broadband services across the country and also be a platform to demonstrate new generation applications, it said.

GSAT-11 was initially planned for launch on May 25 but was rescheduled with the ISRO citing the need for additional technical checks and recalling it.

(With PTI inputs)