ISRO recalls GSAT 11, no launch date announced yet

BENGALURU: India's bid at launching a powerful communications satellite, the GSAT 11, which was expected to provide upgraded internet connectivity speeds among other benefits, has been delayed. 

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), which was due to launch the satellite from Kourou, French Guiana on May 25, has recalled the satellite which was already at the spaceport in Kourou. The GSAT 11 was due to be launched by Arianespace onboard the Ariane 5 rocket and the company has now cancelled the launch.

In a terse statement on Tuesday, ISRO merely confirmed that the launch had been delayed but did not cite any reason for the same. "The launch of GSAT 11 scheduled during May 2018 has been rescheduled, the revised launch date will be communicated subsequently," the statement said. 

GSAT 11 was one of ISRO's major launches for the calendar year and the 5,870 kg satellite is designed to provide 12 Gbp of capacity. The satellite had reached Kourou on March 28 ahead of the launch along with Azerspace-2/Intelsat 38 satellites. Arianespace said that as a result of the reshuffle, the other two satellites would be accomodated with a new co-passenger.

The recall comes barely a few weeks after the ISRO lost its link with the GSAT 6A, launched on 29 March from Sriharikota. Just a few days later, the ISRO succesfully launched the IRNSS 1I, a part of the  Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) constellation, called NavIC.