The Indian space agency on Monday successfully completed the first orbit raising operations of its communication satellite GSAT-14.

According to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the first orbit raising operation of GSAT-14 was completed by firing the apogee motor for 3,134 seconds or 52 minutes.

The realised orbit is 8,966 km perigee (nearest point from earth) and 35,744 km apogee (farthest point from the earth).

The cuboid shaped Rs.145 crore GSAT-14 is India's 23rd geostationary satellites built by ISRO. It has a life span of 12 years.

It carries six extended C-band and Ku-band transponders (receivers and transmitters of signals) and two Ka-band becons. The satellite will be used for telemedicine and tele-education services.

The GSAT-14 was launched Sunday evening from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh, around 80 km from here.

The satellite was launched using Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) that flight tested successfully an indigenously developed cryogenic engine.

Source: Indo-Asia News Service