Arianespace to launch 3 more heavy Indian satellites
Bengaluru, Aug 12 : Global commercial launch provider Arianespace would launch three more heavy Indian satellites from its rocket port at Kourou in French Guiana over the next 9 months, a top space official said on Sunday.
"Arianespace will launch GSAT-11 on November 30, followed by GSAT-31 in December and GSAT-30 in May 2019," state-run Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman K. Sivan told reporters at an event here.
"GSAT-11 will be sent to Kourou in mid-October for launch on board Arian-5 rocket of Arianespace," said Sivan after the unveiling of the bust of Indian space pioneer Vikram Sarabhai at the space headquarters to mark his 99th birth anniversary.
Contrary to earlier reports, ISRO has decided to launch the two heavier satellites GSAT-31 and GSAT-30 on Ariane-5 to replace INSAT-4CR whose life gets over in January and INSAT-4A, as its life span ends in July 2019.
"Unless we launch the two satellites (GSAT-31 & GSAT-30) before the lifespan of earlier satellites end, we will have no telecast link and direct-to-home (DTH) services in the country," pointed out Sivan.
INSAT-4CR was launched on September 2, 2007 by ISRO on GSLV-F04 from Sriharikota and INSAT-4A was launched from Kourou on December 22, 2005.
Though ISRO planned to launch GSAT-31 and GSAT-30 on its heavy rocket GSLV Mk-2 (Geo-Stationary Launch Vehicle-Mark 2), it gave up the move as the life of the two spacecraft would be for only three years and not 15 years as intended to be.
As the GSLV Mark-3 will be used to launch India's second lunar mission Chandrayaan-2 with a lander and rover on January 3, the space agency is compelled to launch the two replacing heavy satellites on Arian-5.
"As per Arianespace protocol, the launch date must be signed four months prior to lift-off. We need to launch GSAT-31 by December 15 as the satellite (INSAT-4CR) to be replaced has a lifespan till January," added Sivan.
In this context, Sivan admitted that the space agency has limitations in making more heavier rockets (GSLV) than lighter rockets like the Polar Launch Satellite Vehicle (PSLV), which are used for putting spacecraft in the earth's lower orbit for common man's services.
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Why did BJP ask its leaders to say Constitution will be changed?: Akhilesh Yadav
Agra (UP) (PTI): Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday targeted the BJP, saying why did it "ask its leaders" to repeatedly say that the "Constitution would be changed".
Addressing an election rally in Jalesar of Agra Lok Sabha constituency, Yadav said that the "lying" BJP government will have to answer the "real questions" of the people in the ongoing elections.
"The public's real question for the BJP is why did it ask its leaders to repeatedly say that the Constitution given by Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar will be changed? Does the BJP have an answer to this?" the SP chief said.
"Why did the BJP raise the issue of changing the Constitution -- that protects the exploited, deprived and oppressed -- to end reservations. These are the real questions of the public, to which the BJP has no answer," he said.
Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Yadav said, "Those who used to talk about 'Mann Ki Baat' should now talk about the Constitution. Now, they can not do everything according to their whims. Now, the lying BJP government will have to face the true questions of the people."
Yadav further targeted the government over lack of government jobs, papers leak and the Agnipath scheme.
"If BJP does not have an answer, it should not be given votes," he said.
Terming the electoral bonds as a ploy to extort industrialists, Yadav said it led to inflation.
After the Lok Sabha elections, when the INDIA bloc government is formed, the Agniveer scheme will be abolished, farmers will get guaranteed minimum support price and the poor will get more nutritious free ration, he said.
The poor and women will also be given Rs 1 lakh, he added.
Agra will go to polls on May 7 in the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections.
