Topics Covered: Awareness in space.
Geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO):
Context:
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully placed into geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO) India’s 42nd communications satellite, CMS-01, carried on board the PSLV-C50, from the second launch pad of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota Range.
- This was PSLV’s 52nd mission.
About CMS-01:
- It is a communications satellite envisaged for providing services in extended C Band of the frequency spectrum and its coverage will include the Indian mainland and the Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands.
- The satellite is expected to have a life of over seven years.
Different orbits:
- A Geosynchonous Orbit (GEO) takes a satellite around the Earth at a rate of once per day, keeping it roughly in the same area over the ground.
- A Geostationary Orbit (GSO) is a geosynchronous orbit with an inclination of zero, meaning, it lies on the equator.
All geostationary satellites are geosynchronous. Not all geosynchronous satellites are geostationary.
What, then, is a transfer orbit?
- Rockets sending payloads to geosynchronous and geostationary orbits drop off their payload in transfer orbits, halfway points en route to the satellite’s final position.
- From transfer orbit, a satellite conducts engine burns to circularize its orbit and change its inclination.
InstaLinks:
Prelims Link:
- What is a geostationary orbit?
- What is a geosynchronous orbit?
- What is a polar orbit?
- What is a transfer orbit?
- About PSLV.
Mains Link:
What are communication satellites? Discuss their significance for India.
Sources: the Hindu.
