Assignment 3

Prasad P. Bandarkar 08026006

Satellite: INSAT-3E Launch vehicle- Ariane-5

Mission objectives Communication satellite Geosynchronous satellite at 55oE Mass: 2775 kg (1218 kg dry) Dimensions: 2.0 m x 1.77 m x 2.8 m Propulsion: 440 Newton thrust liquid apogee motor Power: Payload 24 C-band transponders, having India beam coverage providing an Edge Of Coverage-Effective Isotropic Radiated Power (EOC-EIRP) of 38.5 dBW. 12 upper extended C-band transponders having India beam coverage providing an EOC-EIRP of 38 dBW 2 deployable solar arrays, batteries

Nature of orbit Geosynchronous circular orbit Altitude: 35,786km Time period: 1,436 minutes

The satellite is a communication satellite. Hence it has a geostationary orbit

Launch INSAT 3E was launched by Ariane-5 launch vehicle of Arianespace on Sept 28 2003. Ariane (Ariane-5), with ISRO's INSAT-3E, e-BIRD of EUTELSAT and SMART1 of European Space Agency, lifted off at 4.44 am IST from Centre Spatial Guyanais (CSG), Kourou, French Guyana. 1. INSAT-3E was injected into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO), at 5.14 am, i.e., 30 minutes after the lift-off, in 3-axis stabilised mode, with a perigee (nearest point to earth) of 649 km and an apogee (farthest point to earth) of 35,923 km and an inclination of 7 deg. with respect to the equator. The orbital period of the satellite in this orbit was 10hours 50 mins. 2. The first critical orbit raising manoeuvre was carried out on Sept 29,2003 at 6:57am IST. The 440 Newton Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) on board INSAT-3E was fired for 82 minutes raising the perigee from 649km to 14970 km. The apogee remained at the same distance (35923 km). The inclination of the orbit was reduced from 7o to 1.90 . The orbital period at this stage was 15hrs 30 min. 3. The second critical orbit raising manoeuvre was carried out on Sept 30,2003 at 2:38 pm IST. The 440 Newton Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) on board INSAT-3E was fired for 36 minutes raising the perigee from 14970 km to 33000 km. The apogee at this stage was 35570. The inclination of the orbit was reduced from 1.9o to 0.140 . The orbital period at this stage was 22hrs 40 min. 4. The third and final stage of orbit-raising operation conducted on 1st October 2003 at 1:38 PM IST. During this manoeuvre , the 440 N Liquid Apogee Motor were fired for 3min 6 secs. After this manoeuvre the satellite achieved an orbital period of 23hrs 46mins with a planned drift rate of 2.3o/day. At the end of the manoeuvre the satellite was at 38oE longitude and was expected to reach the desired longitude of 55o in about 10 days.

After the orbit raising operations, the satellite had 510 kg of propellant remaining that is sufficient to arrest the drift and park it at its orbital slot as well as maintain the satellite in its orbit and controlling its orientation during its design life of more than 12 years.