ISRO loses contact with GSAT-6A, trying to establish link

Two days after India's latest communication satellite with military applications GSAT-6A was launched, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) today said it had lost contact with it and was making efforts to establish link.

The space agency lost communication with the satellite when it attempted to ignite the engine in a third and final move to its desired location after its March 29 textbook launch from the space port of Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.

The second orbit raising operation of GSAT-6A was successfully carried out on Saturday, but when it was on course to normal operating configuration for the third and final firing scheduled for April 1, communication with the satellite was lost, the space agency said after maintaining unusual silence on the health of the satellite.

A satellite is placed in orbit in three phases.

"Efforts are underway to establish link with the satellite," Bengaluru-headquartered ISRO said on its website.

The 2,140-kg GSAT-6A rode piggyback on ISRO's powerful geosynchronous rocket (GSLV-F08) fitted with indigenous cryogenic engine at the third stage and was put into orbit successfully after the launch in what was described by a senior ISRO official as a "magnificent mission".

GSAT-6A is aimed at helping in mobile communication even from very remote locations through hand-held ground terminals and is considered a shot in the arm for the armed forces.

The space agency's unusual silence regarding the satellite had set off speculation about its health.

ISRO, which normally communicates on its website about the orbit raising operations like it did on March 30, following the success of the first orbit raising operation, had not released any update since then.

The last update was on March 30, wherein it said, "The first orbit raising operation of GSAT-6A Satellite has been successfully carried out by Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) Engine firing for 2188 sec from 09:22hr IST on March 30, 2018."