GSAT-10 raised to Intermediate Orbit

In the first critical orbit-raising manoeuvre conducted this morning (September 30, 2012), the perigee (nearest point to Earth) of GSAT-10 s...

In the first critical orbit-raising manoeuvre conducted this morning (September 30, 2012), the perigee (nearest point to Earth) of GSAT-10 satellite has successfully been raised from 250 km to 16,427 km by using the satellites on-board propulsion system. Besides, the inclination of GSAT-10 with respect to the equatorial plane has also been brought down to 1.7 deg from the earlier 5.998 deg. In this operation, the Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) was fired for duration of 1 hour 55 minutes. In the process, about 362 kg propellant was utilised.
This orbit raising operation began today at 0428 hrs IST by commanding the satellite from ISRO's Master Control Facility (MCF) at Hassan, Karnataka. GSAT-10 is in good health. The currentorbital parameters of GSAT-10 are:
Parameter (Unit) Value
Perigee (km) 16,427
Apogee (km) 35,758.7
Inclination (deg) 1.7
Orbital Period 16 hours 3 minutes
It may be recalled that GSAT-10 satellite was launched on September 29, 2012 on-board Ariane-5 launch vehicle from Kourou, French Guyana.
The Second orbit-raising manoeuvre is planned inthe afternoon of October 1, 2012.