View source for GSAT-3

{{Short description|Indian communications satellite}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox spaceflight
| name                  = GSAT-3
| image                 = 
| image_caption         =

| mission_type          = [[Communication satellite]]
| operator              = [[ISRO]]
| website               = {{url|http://www.isro.gov.in/}}
| COSPAR_ID             = 2004-036A 
| SATCAT                = 28417
| mission_duration      = 7&nbsp;years planned<ref name="UCS">{{cite web|url=http://www.ucsusa.org/assets/documents/nwgs/UCS_Satellite_Database_9-1-11.txt |title=UCS Satellite Database |publisher=Union of Concerned Scientists |access-date=15 December 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111013024137/http://www.ucsusa.org/assets/documents/nwgs/UCS_Satellite_Database_9-1-11.txt |archive-date=13 October 2011 }}</ref><br/>6&nbsp;years achieved<ref name="dos"/>

| spacecraft_bus        = [[I-2K]]
| manufacturer          = [[Indian Space Research Organisation Satellite Centre|ISRO Satellite Centre]]<br/>[[Space Applications Centre]]
| dry_mass              = 
| launch_mass           = {{convert|1950|kg}}
| power                 = 2040&nbsp;watts

| launch_date           = {{start-date|20 September 2004, 10:31:00|timezone=yes}}&nbsp;UTC<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=2004-036A|title=NASA - NSSDCA - Spacecraft - Trajectory Details|website=nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov}}</ref>
| launch_rocket         = [[Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle|GSLV Mk.I]] F01
| launch_site           = [[Satish Dhawan Space Centre|Satish Dhawan]] [[Satish Dhawan Space Centre First Launch Pad|FLP]]
| launch_contractor     = [[Indian Space Research Organisation|ISRO]] 
| entered_service       =24 September 2004

| disposal_type         = Moved to [[Graveyard orbit]]
| deactivated           = {{end-date|30 September 2010}}<ref name="dos">{{cite web|url=http://saiindia.gov.in/english/home/Our_Products/Audit_Report/Government_Wise/union_audit/recent_reports/union_compliance/2013/SD/Report_22/chap_3.pdf |title=EDUSAT Utilisation Programme |publisher=Department of Space |access-date=15 December 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131215125352/http://saiindia.gov.in/english/home/Our_Products/Audit_Report/Government_Wise/union_audit/recent_reports/union_compliance/2013/SD/Report_22/chap_3.pdf |archive-date=15 December 2013 |df=dmy }}</ref>

| orbit_epoch           = 14 December 2013, 14:55:38&nbsp;UTC<ref name="n2yo">{{cite web|url=http://www.n2yo.com/satellite/?s=28417|title=GSAT 3 (EDUSAT) Satellite details 2004-036A NORAD 28417|work=N2YO|date=14 December 2013|access-date=15 December 2013}}</ref>
| orbit_reference       = [[Geocentric orbit|Geocentric]]
| orbit_regime          = [[Geostationary orbit|Geostationary]]
| orbit_periapsis       = {{convert|36066|km|mi}}
| orbit_apoapsis        = {{convert|36084|km|mi}}
| orbit_inclination     = 2.71&nbsp;degrees
| orbit_period          = 24.17&nbsp;hours
| orbit_longitude       = 74°&nbsp;East
| apsis                 = gee

| trans_band            = 
| trans_frequency       = 
| trans_bandwidth       = 
| trans_capacity        = 
| trans_coverage        = 
| trans_TWTA            = 
| trans_EIRP            = 
| trans_HPBW            = 
| programme             = [[GSAT]]
| previous_mission      = [[GSAT-2]]
| next_mission          = [[GSAT-4]]
}}
'''GSAT-3''', also known as '''EDUSAT''', was a [[communications satellite]] which was launched on 20 September 2004 by the [[Indian Space Research Organisation]]. EDUSAT is the first Indian [[satellite]] built exclusively to serve the educational sector. It is mainly intended to meet the demand for an interactive satellite-based [[distance education]] system for the country.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.isro.org/satellites/edusat.aspx |title=EDUSAT |publisher=[[ISRO]] |access-date=2013-01-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121227162328/http://isro.org/satellites/edusat.aspx |archive-date=27 December 2012 }}</ref>

EDUSAT carries five [[Ku band|K<sub>u</sub> band]] transponders providing spot beams, one K<sub>u</sub> band transponder providing a national beam and six extended [[C band (IEEE)|C band]] transponders providing national coverage beams.

EDUSAT was successfully launched into a [[Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit]] (GTO) on the first operational launch of the [[Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle]], which flew from the [[Satish Dhawan Space Centre First Launch Pad|First Launch Pad]] at the [[Satish Dhawan Space Centre]] in [[Sriharikota]]. EDUSAT was initially placed into a transfer orbit with a [[perigee]] of {{convert|180|km}} and an [[apogee]] of {{convert|35985|km}} and a period of 10.5 hours, inclined at 19.2 degrees to the equator.

EDUSAT was decommissioned in September 2010 and relocated to a [[graveyard orbit]].<ref name="dos"/><ref name="n2yo"/>

==Launch sequence==
[[File:GSLV-F01 Blasting off from the Sathish Dawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, to place EDUSAT- India's first full-fledged educational sattellite- in orbit on September 20, 2004 (2).jpg|thumb|GSLV-F01 Blasting off from the Sathish Dawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, to place EDUSAT- India's first full-fledged educational satellite- in orbit on 20 September 2004|left]]
The 414 [[tonne]], 49 m tall GSLV, carrying the 1950&nbsp;kg GSAT-3, lifted off from [[Sriharikota]] at 4:01 pm. About seventeen minutes after lift off, the satellite was successfully placed in GTO. At 4.8 seconds before the countdown reached zero, the four liquid propellant strap-on stages, each carrying 40 tonne of [[hypergolic]] liquid propellants (UH25 and N<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub>), were ignited. At count zero and after confirming the normal performance of all the four strap-on motors, the 138 tonne solid propellant first stage core motor was ignited and GSLV blazed into the sky. The major phases of the flight included the first stage burn-out at 104 seconds, the strap on burn-out at 150 seconds, ignition of the second stage at 150 seconds, heat shield separation at an altitude of 115&nbsp;km and 227 seconds into the flight, second stage burn-out at 288 seconds, ignition of the 12.5 tonne cryogenic stage at 304 seconds and its shut down at 999 seconds after attaining the required velocity of 10.2&nbsp;km per second.

EDUSAT was put into orbit at 1014 seconds about 5000&nbsp;km away from [[Sriharikota]]. The separated [[cryogenic]] stage was subsequently reoriented and passivated.

==Solar array deployment==
Soon after its injection into GTO, the two solar arrays of EDUSAT were automatically deployed. The deployment of the arrays as well as the general health of the satellite were monitored by the ground station of the ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command network (ISTRAC) located in the Indonesian island of [[Biak]]. The [[Master Control Facility (ISRO)|Master Control Facility]] (MCF) at [[Hassan, India|Hassan]] in [[Karnataka]] has since taken control of EDUSAT for all its post launch operations. Ground stations at [[Lake Cowichan]] (Canada), [[Fucino]] (Italy) and [[Beijing]] (China) are supporting [[Master Control Facility (ISRO)|MCF]] in monitoring the health of the satellite and its orbit raising operations.

Its designated orbital slot is 74 degree East longitude in the [[Geostationary Orbit]]. There, it will be co-located with [[KALPANA-1]] and [[Indian National Satellite System#INSAT-3C.|INSAT-3C]].

EDUSAT was developed by [[ISRO Satellite Centre]], [[Bangalore]]. The payloads were developed by [[Space Applications Centre]], [[Ahmedabad]]. [[Master Control Facility (ISRO)]] at [[Hassan, India|Hassan]] is responsible for all post launch operations of the satellite.

==VICTERS==
{{Main|Victers TV}}
India's first broadband network on EDUSAT for schools, VICTERS (Versatile ICT Enabled Resource for Students) inaugurated by Dr. [[A.P.J Abdul Kalam]], former president of India on 28 July 2005 in [[Thiruvananthapuram]] has revolutionized classrooms. Through [[IT@School Project]], [[Kerala]] has demonstrated how EDUSAT could be used to successfully empower teachers.

==See also==
*[[List of Indian satellites]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.isro.org ISRO]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20051125173331/http://isro.org/pressrelease/Jul23_2004.htm Conference on EDUSAT]
*[http://mlsondhi.org/kalam.htm Indian past President Abdul Kalam lecture of 2005 on distance education and EDUSAT] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303203453/http://mlsondhi.org/kalam.htm |date=3 March 2016 }}

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{{GSAT Satellites}}
{{Indian spacecraft}}
{{Orbital launches in 2004}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:GSAT-3}}
[[Category:GSAT satellites]]
[[Category:Communications satellites in geostationary orbit]]
[[Category:Spacecraft launched in 2004]]
[[Category:2004 in India]]
[[Category:Spacecraft launched by GSLV rockets]]