Spacetrack Directory Name | SKY MUSTER 2 |
Follow SKY MUSTER 2 | SKY MUSTER 2 Tracker |
Pass predictions SKY MUSTER 2 | Pass predictions SKY MUSTER 2 |
Orbit launches | 2016-10-05 (8 years ago) |
Days in orbit | 2972 |
Country/organisation of origin | Australia (AUS) |
Starting point | FRGUI (Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana) |
Categories | |
Perigee | 35779 km |
Apogee | 35794 km |
Orbit slope (inclination) | 0.01° |
Laps per day | 1 |
Orbit | GEO |
Height SKY MUSTER 2 | 35786.48 km |
GSAT-18 is an Indian communications satellite. Built by ISRO and operated by INSAT, it carries 24 C-band, 12 extended C-band, and 12 Ku-band transponders.
The satellite was launched on 5 October 2016 at approximately 20:30 UTC aboard an Ariane 5 ECA rocket from the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana. The launch vehicle inserted the satellite into a geosynchronous transfer orbit, and once in service it will occupy the orbital slot at 74° East longitude. The total cost of the satellite and launch services was about US$153 million.GSAT-18 was originally scheduled to launch on 12 July 2016 alongside Japan's Superbird-8 satellite, but a shipping mishap which damaged Superbird-8 forced a delay in the launch schedule. Arianespace later paired GSAT-18 with Australia's Sky Muster II for a 4 October 2016 launch. The launch was delayed 24 hours to 5 October due to excessively high crosswinds at the launch site.