ISRO clears GSAT-11 for launch

The ISRO has cleared for launch GSAT-11, the satellite which was recalled from Kourou in French Guinea for thorough checks, after losing contact with its another satellite that was launched from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh in March this year, an official said.

The 5,700-kg GSAT-11 satellite was slated for launch on May 26 from Kourou, a site in South America which India uses to launch its heavy-weight satellite. In a setback to the ISRO, the space agency lost contact with GSAT-6A after it was launched in March this year.

Although the ISRO has been trying to establish with GSAT-6A, a satellite meant for military communication, it has found little success.   This also led to the ISRO recalling GSAT-11 for conducting thorough checks. “After a thorough check and additional tests, it was found fit for launch,” the official said. The space agency is now waiting for a slot from Arianespace, the company which will launch the satellite, the official added.