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 Chennai:
Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) latest communication
satellite, Insat-3E, is scheduled for launch around 4.30
am Indian Standard Time on 28 September 2003.
Insat-3E
will be launched by the 162nd flight of Ariane (17th launch
of Ariane-5 launch vehicle) along with Smart-1 of European
Space Agency and e-Bird of Eutelsat.
The
spacecraft was transported to Kourou on 16 July 2003 and
was scheduled for launch in August. But in view of a quality
alert received from the manufacturer of components used
in the communication transponders of Insat-3E, detailed
quality rechecks became necessary, which have been carried
out in the last four weeks.
Insat-3E,
with a lift-off weight of 2,775 kg, is the fourth spacecraft
in the Insat-3 series. It will carry 24 C-band transponders
and 12 extended C-band transponders.
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