The satellite was to be launched on May 25 from Kourou, French Guiana, by an Arianespace rocket. It will now be subjected to repeated thermal vacuum tests, among other things. Most tests to be conducted at the ISRO Satellite Centre are related to the power system
BANGALORE: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), which last week decided to call back the GSAT-11 satellite, India's most powerful communication satellite, is addressing "potential glitches" linked to the satellite's power system based on lessons learned from GSAT-6A, which lost contact with the ground station.
ISRO chairman K Sivan said: "A committee of experts comprising former ISRO chairmen advised us to bring back the satellite for more tests." Members of the committee said they wanted to resolve a number of "potential failures".
The satellite, which was to be launched on May 25 from Kourou, French Guiana, by an Arianespace rocket, will be subjected to repeated thermal vacuum tests, among other things. Most tests to be conducted at the ISRO Satellite Centre here are related to the power system.
Former ISRO chairman and committee head K Kasturirangan said: "There are some concerns from the previous mission that are not fully addressed. We'll run more tests on the ground and in the space simulation chamber. The tests will be related to certain redundancies in the power system."
The 5,725-kg satellite will usher in high-speed internet connectivity, especially in rural India. The satellite is expected to reach India in the first week of May. ISRO is yet to announce the rescheduled launch date.