India’s communication satellite GSAT-8 launched

Bangalore: India’s latest communication satellite GSAT-8 was today successfully launched by Arianespace from Kourou in French Guiana to give a boost to direct-to-home services in the country.
GSAT-8 was injected into space by European launcher Arianespace’s Ariane 5 rocket which lifted-off at 02.08 am (IST), with Japan’s ST-2 spacecraft as co-passenger.
French Guiana is a region of France on the North-East coast of South America.
Weighing 3,100 kg at lift-off, GSAT-8 is one of the heaviest and high-powered satellites built by the Bangalore-headquartered Indian Space Research Organisation.
An ISRO team, which witnessed the launch, expressed delight over the successful mission.
“I am extremely happy to announce that ISRO’s Master Control Facility at Hassan near Bangalore has confirmed the reception of signals from GSAT-8 and taken charge of the command and control of GSAT-8 immediately after its injection into the geo-stationary transfer orbit,” ISRO Chairman K Radhakrishnan said.