India launches communication satellite for navy
ISRO has launched the GSAT-7R communication satellite for the Indian Navy using its LVM3-M5 rocket (pictured). (Indian Ministry of Defence)
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched a communication satellite called GSAT-7R, also known as CMS-03, for the Indian Navy.
This multiband communication satellite was carried onboard ISRO's LVM3-M5 rocket, which was launched from the agency's Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, a barrier island along the southeastern coast of India, on 2 November, ISRO announced.
In addition to enhancing the Indian Navy's space-based communications, GSAT-7R is intended to improve maritime domain awareness (MDA), India's Ministry of Defence (MoD) said.
The MoD added that GSAT-7R with a weight of 4,410 kg has transponders that can support voice, data, and video links over C, extended C, and Ku satellite communications (satcom) bands. The satellite will enable secure, high-capacity bandwidth telecommunication coverage across the Indian Ocean region connecting the Indian Navy's ships, submarines, aircraft, and command-and-control (C2) centres, the MoD said.
According to ISRO, GSAT-7R will operate from the geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO) with an apogee of about 29,970 km and a perigee of 170 km.
For more information, please see India to release military space doctrine .
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