INSAT 3E

Launch data Designation 27951 / 03043E Launch date 27 Sep 2003 - 23:14:46 UT Launch site Kourou, ELA-3 Launch vehicle Ariane-5 G (V-162) Mission Government: Communications and meteorology Geostationary orbit: Perigee / Apogee 35765 x 35807 km Eccentricity  4,98E-04 Inclination 0,12° Period 1436.1 min

An artist's concept of Insat 3E. Credit: ISRO

Description:

• INSAT-3E is the fourth satellite launched in the INSAT-3 series. It is an exclusive communication satellite to further augment the communication services that are being provided by the INSAT System.
• The Indian Space Research Organization's Insat 3E will use an onboard liquid-fueled kick engine to circularize its orbit at geostationary altitude 36,000 km above the Indian Ocean, parking itself at 55 degrees East longitude. It should be checked out and operational within a few weeks.
• The satellite will replace INSAT-2DT spacecraft and leased transponders for providing communications and television services across India. It features 24 regular C-band transponders and 12 extended C-band transponders.

Mission details:

• Liftoff from the Guiana Space Center on South America's northeast coast occurred at 2314:46 GMT (7:14:46 p.m. EDT), nearly 13 minutes late to adjust the amount of cryogenic propellants in the rocket's main stage in an effort to "tune" the Vulcain 1 engine for the mission.
• The Indian Insat 3E and Eutelsat e-Bird communications craft were stacked atop SMART 1 for the ascent. After a 27-minute powered flight, the Ariane 5 achieved its planned geosynchronous transfer orbit, reaching a high point of 35,935 km for the target of 35,873 km, a low point of 649.5 km for a target of 648.7 km and inclination right on the mark at 7.01 degrees to the equator.
• In all, Insat 3E is the 11th Indian satellite launch by Ariane over the past 22 years. India's first satellite, Apple, was carried aloft in 1981.
• Space News reports that India's Insat 3E communications satellite has failed. Orbital data also shows that Insat 3E began to slowly drift off station in late March 2014 and its orbit was lowered on Apr 4, 2014 to 35579 x 35693 km, drifting two degrees east per day. The Hindu newspaper reported on Apr 2 that the satellite has been decommissioned and that the orbit will later be raised to a higher 'graveyard' orbit, although the same report says that the satellite's oxidizer has been depleted, which presumably takes the main bipropellant propulsion system out of action. The satellite probably has small monopropellant thrusters and maybe these can be used for small orbit adjustments.