According to local media isro has another GSLV launch planned this year that will orbit GSAT-7A. The mission number will probably be F10 or F11. GSAT-7A is a 2.65 ton geostationary satellite that will serve the indian military.
Isro will launch a dedicated satellite, Gsat-7A, for the Indian Air Force (IAF) in September and an advanced remote sensing satellite, Risat-2A, for surveillance purpose by the end of the year.Gsat-7A, which will be lifted by a GSLV Mk II rocket, will enable the IAF to interlink different ground radar stations, airbases and AWACS aircraft. It will also boost the IAF’s network-centric warfare capabilities and enhance its global operations.
Well, this article is saying GSAT 7A is being launched by Arianespace!http://www.timesnownews.com/technology-science/article/isro-s-2018-missions-from-chandrayaan-2-to-gsat-11-and-more-planned-missions-this-year/217980"While the GSAT-7A is expected to be launched on board the Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou, French Guiana in the second half of 2018,..."
The GSAT-7A communication satellite will be launched for the Indian Air Force from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh in September.The GSAT-7A will be carried by the GSLV Mk II rocket and the satellite will help the IAF interlink their bases, ground radar stations and the AWACS aircraft. Not just that, this will also improve the force's global operations.
"We have another GSLV mission, which is going to have GSAT-7A," K Sivan once confirmed ....
While the GSAT-7A is expected to be launched on board the Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou, French Guiana in the second half of 2018 ...
The Indian Space Research Organization (Isro), on Thursday said it has successfully completed the hot test of cryogenic engine for the GSLV-F11, which is scheduled to launch the GSAT-7A in November this year.
The test, conducted at the Isro Propulsion Complex in Mahendragiri on August 27, was carried out for 200 seconds during which the engine operated in the nominal and 13% uprated thrust regimes.
In November too, Isro will launch two satellites. GSLV F11 will launch GSAT-7A, a satellite dedicated for the IAF, which will help the force interlink their bases, ground radar stations and AWACS aircraft.
Talking to TOI, Isro chairman K Sivan said, "Isro will launch a communication satellite Gsat-7A dedicated for the IAF in the third week of this month. Once Isro places Gsat-7A in the geo stationary orbit, the communication satellite will enable the IAF to interlink different ground radar stations, airbases and AWACS aircraft. It will boost the air force's network-centric warfare capabilities and enhance its global operations.
Costing around Rs 500-800 crore, Gsat-7A will have a lifetime of nine years. It will have Ku-band transponders and two deployable solar arrays. The satellite weighing 2.2 tonnes will be launched by GSLV Mk II. Gsat-7A will be the second satellite dedicated to the military. The IAF is also likely to get another satellite Gsat-7C, within a few years that will boost its network-centric operations.
Lifetime seems to be a funny 9 years instead of the normal 10 years. They could have loaded additional propellant to increase lifetime and test out the HT Vikas engine as well. Why are they always shy of doing these things?
Press kit for GSLV F11 carrying GSat 7A.Doesn't say how much thrust each stage produces, so I can't tell if the new booster engines are being used.
