ISRO Launches Communication Satellite, Has ‘Geo-Eye’ To Monitor India

Story Highlights

• The rocket was launched at its scheduled time of 5.08pm today
• The GSAT-29 is the 33rd communications satellite made by India
• The satellite will help provide internet connectivity to remote areas
• Sriharikota: 
  India’s heaviest rocket, referred to as “Baahubali”, successfully placed the sophisticated communications satellite GSAT-29 in the orbit today. India space agency ISRO’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk-III-D2) – on its second developmental flight – lifted off from Sriharikota, India’s rocket port in Andhra Pradesh on the coast of the Bay of Bengal.
  The countdown began at 2:50 pm on Tuesday and the rocket was launched at its scheduled time of 5.08pm today from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre.
  Cyclone Gaja did not pay spoilsport and the launch was not affected by it. The launch could have been affected by the cyclone, which was one of the apprehensions since the countdown
• This is the 67th launch from Sriharikota and the GSAT-29 is the 33rd communications satellite made by India.
• The advanced communications satellite weighs 3,423 kg and will help provide internet connectivity, especially in the remote areas of Jammu and Kashmir and north-eastern India, says ISRO chairman K Sivan.