The first orbit raising manoeuver of GSAT-31 satellite by firing the Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) engine

The first orbit raising manoeuver of GSAT-31 satellite has been successfully carried out today (February 7, 2019) at 0438 hrs (IST) by firing the Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) engine of the satellite for a duration of 4684 seconds.

After the injection of GSAT-31 communication satellite into an elliptical Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) on February 06, 2019, all the three orbit raising manoeuvers have been completed successfully as planned using the satellite's propulsion system.

The satellite antennas have been deployed and the satellite is placed in an orbit with a perigee (nearest point from Earth) of 35,548 km and an apogee (farthest point from Earth) of 35,778 km with an inclination of 0.13 deg which is very close to its operational orbit.