New Delhi: And we really don't care about Pakistan's absenteeism, do we.
Pakistan was the only SAARC member that opted out of the project, which included all other SAARC nations, saying it has its "own space programme".
After the launch, all the South Asian leaders went ahead and congratulated India and PM Narendra Modi for the historic launch.
The Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle-F09 (GSLV-F09) on Friday successfully launched India's gift to South Asia - the Geostationary communication satellite-9 (Gsat-9) - into a Geostationary orbit, also making the it the first Indian satellite to use an electric propulsion.
Precisely at 4.57 p.m., the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-F09) lifted off from the second launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre at the spaceport in Andhra Pradesh.
Launching aboard the Indian space agency’s rocket GSLV-F09, the South Asia Satellite or GSAT-9 costs around Rs 235 crore and is meant for providing communication and disaster support and connectivity among the countries of South Asia region. Its mission life will span 12 years.
Here are some of the key features of the launch:
The South Asia Satellite, proposed by Prime Minister Modi, was launched into orbit at 4:57 pm on Friday,May 5, 2017, on board ISRO's rocket GSLV-09 from the Second Launch Pad (SLP) at Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR (SDSC SHAR), Sriharikota.
GSAT-9 is a Geostationary Communication Satellite with the objective to provide various communication applications in Ku-band with coverage over South Asian countries.
According to ISRO, GSLV-F09 mission is the eleventh flight of GSLV and its fourth consecutive flight with the indigenous Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS).
The satellite weighs a massive 2,230-kg and it has 12 Ku-band transponders, which India's neighbours can utilise to increase communications.
The total cost of launching the satellite is estimated to be about ₹2,350,000,000 (₹235 crore). The cost associated with the launch will be met by the Government of India
The satellite is meant for providing communication and disaster support, connectivity among the countries of South Asia region. The satellite will provide a significant capability to each of the participating countries in terms of DTH, certain VSAT capacity plus linking among the states for both disaster information transfer and also in terms of library type of things.
It's meant to provide communication, disaster support and connectivity among the countries of South Asia region and its mission life will span 12 years.
