GSLV-MkIII-D2 blasts off, injects GSAT-29 into orbit

ISRO's heavy-lift rocket GSLV-MkIII-D2 Wednesday successfully injected into orbit the country's latest communication satellite GSAT-29 that is intended to meet the communication needs of people in remote areas in the North East and Jammu and Kashmir.

The 27-hour-countdown for the launch began at 2.50pm Tuesday and the rocket blasted off at 5.08 pm from the spaceport at Sriharikota over 100 km from Chennai.

The 3,423 kg GSAT-29 carries Ka and Ku band high throughput transponders which will provide communication services to remoTe places in the North East and Jammu and Kashmir, besides aid the Centre's Digital India programme, ISRO chief K Sivan said.

ISRO scientists broke into cheers as the satellite was injected into a geosynchronous orbit, 16 minutes after lift-off.

Sivan said the country had achieved a significant milestone following the successful launch and the injection of the satellite into the GTO was 'precise.'
Sivan said while the launch vehicle's first operational mission was going to be "none other than Chandrayaan" in January 2019, "this fantastic vehicle is going to carry humans to space in three years from now."