Indian satellite's transponders switched on

All the 11 transponders of India's advanced multiband communication satellite (GSAT-7) have been switched on and are performing well, the space agency said late Wednesday.

"The transponders on board the GSAT-7 spacecraft operating in UHF, S, C and Ku bands have been activated and their performance is found to be normal," the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said in a statement here.

The transponders, which receive and transmit signals at high frequency, will improve the maritime communications of the Indian Navy's warships in the region.

The 2.5-tonne dedicated satellite will enable the navy to acquire blue water capabilities. The navy now need not depend on foreign satellites like Inmarsat, which has been providing communication services to its warships.

"The spacecraft is positioned at its designated orbital slot of 74 degrees east longitude in the geostationary orbit at 36,000 km above earth and in-orbit testing of the transponders is in progress," the statement added.

The Rs.185-crore satellite was launched Aug 30 onboard the Ariane-5 heavy rocket of the European Space Agency (Arianespace) from Kourou in French Guiana off the Pacific coast, which cost the Indian government Rs.440 crore.