Technicians work near the INSAT-3C communications satellite at the equatorial French Guyana European Space Agency launch centre in Kourou on Thursday. — Reuters photo

Bangalore, January 24
The country’s yet another multi-purpose communication satellite, INSAT-3C, was successfully blasted into geosynchronous transfer orbit in the 147th flight of Ariane 42L launch vehicle from Korou in French Guyana today. This is the eighth Indian satellite to be blasted into orbit by the European Space Agency for ISRO.

ISRO and Arianespace are the long-standing space application partners. Thier partnership started over 20 years ago with the launch of the first Indian satellite, Apple, in June 1981. In what was described as ‘text-book’ precision the two-liquid-propellant strap on Ariane vehicle, with a 2750 kg, INSAT-3C lifted off in ascending blast-off at 5.17 am (IST).

There were, however, anxious moments for the mission and auxilary teams both at the launchpad and at the Master Control Facility Centre at Hassan in India as the launch process was delayed 11 second before the blast-off following a ground computer software problem just six seconds before synchronised liftoff.

After a 54 minute final reappraisal of all systems and subsystems by the Ariane Launch Centre computers the launch vehicle finally soared high seconds after the liftoff. Precisely after 30 minutes the MCF at Hassan established contacts with INSAT-3C and acquired telemetry signals from it. The flawless launch mission today was witnessed at the control tower in Korou by the Chairman, ISRO, Dr K. Kasturirangan and the Arianespace, CEO, Mr Prierie Reberro.