ISRO's GSLV-F11 carrying GSAT-7A communication satellite lifts off from Sriharikota
Sriharikota (AP), Dec 19 : ISRO's Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle GSLV-F11 lifter off from here Wednesday carrying India's geostationary communication satellite GSAT-7A, which will substantially enhance the communication
systems of the Indian Air Force.
The 26-hour countdown for the launch commenced at 2.10 pm Tuesday and the rocket blasted off at 4.10 pm from the second launch pad at the satellite launch site in Sriharikota, over 100 km from here.
The mission life of the 2,250kg GSAT-7A, built by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), is eight years. It will provide communication capability to users in Ku-band over the Indian region.
The GSLV-F11, ISRO's fourth generation launch vehicle with three stages, will inject the GSAT-7A into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). The satellite will be placed in its final Geostationary Orbit using its onboard propulsion systems.
The four liquid strap-ons and a solid rocket motor at the core form the first stage of the launch vehicle, while the second stage is equipped with high thrust engine using liquid fuel, the space agency said. The Cryogenic Upper Stage forms the third and final stage of the vehicle.
The seventh launch of 2018 from Sriharikota marks the 69th mission of GSLV-F11 for ISRO.
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Gehlot changes profile pic to 'Save Aravalli', asks Centre to reconsider definition
Jaipur (PTI): Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Thursday urged the Centre to reconsider its definition of the Aravallis, warning that any damage to the mountain range posed a serious threat to the ecological future of north India.
Gehlot, a former Rajasthan chief minister, changed his social media profile picture in support of the nationwide 'SaveAravalli' campaign amid growing debate over mining and environmental safeguards in the Aravalli Range.
It was his symbolic protest against the new interpretation under which hills lower than 100 metres are no longer being recognised as part of the Aravalli system, he said.
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"The Aravalli cannot be judged by tape measures or height alone. It must be assessed by its ecological importance," Gehlot said, adding that the revised definition raised "a big question" over the future of north India.
Appealing to the Centre and the Supreme Court, Gehlot said the issue must be reconsidered in the interest of future generations and environmental security. He also urged citizens to participate in the campaign by changing their display pictures online to draw attention to the issue.
He said the Aravalli range functioned as a natural green wall against the expansion of the Thar desert and extreme heatwaves, protecting Delhi, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh. Opening up smaller hills and so-called gap areas for mining would allow desertification to advance rapidly, he warned.
Gehlot also flagged concerns over air pollution, saying the hills and forests of the Aravallis acted as the "lungs" of the National Capital Region by checking dust storms and absorbing pollutants.
"When pollution levels are so alarming even with the Aravalli standing, one can imagine how disastrous the situation will be without it," he said.
Highlighting the water crisis, the former chief minister said the rocky terrain of the Aravallis played a crucial role in groundwater recharge by channelising rainwater underground.
"If the hills are destroyed, drinking water shortages will intensify, wildlife will disappear and the entire ecology will be pushed into danger," he said.
Gehlot argued that, from a scientific perspective, the Aravallis was a continuous chain and that even smaller hillocks were as vital as higher peaks.
