Insat-4B launch deferred till March 12
India’s latest telecommunication satellite Insat-4B was scheduled to launch by Ariane 5 launch vehicle on March 11 between 3.55 am and 4.28 am (IST). The first attempt was stopped following an operational anomaly at the launch pad which was detected seven minutes before lift-off in the “water deluge system”. This water deluge system is used to reduce the acoustic levels for the safety of the launch pad.
Both the satellites, Insat-4B and Skynet 5A and the launch vehicle is normal and they have been put into the safe mode. Arianespace official said that the Insat-4B and its co-passenger Skynet 5A of EADS Astrium were in safe mode and they are going to work and make a new attempt the next day.
2 high power Ku-band and 12 C-band are carried by Insat-4B to augment the capacity for Direct-To-Home television services apart from augmenting the Insat capacity for other communication and television service. Insat-4B is the 13th ISRO satellite to use Ariane launch vehicle.
The European Space Consortium said a high-volume flow of water for launch pad acoustic damping would be provided by this deluge system provided during Ariane 5’s engine ignition and liftoff.
The countdown was stopped to verify sensor readings concerning the water deluge system’s operational sequence. Ariane 5, Skynet 5A and Insat-4B were immediately placed in the safe mode.
