India's first satellite dedicated solely to military use was successfully launched into orbit Friday, dpa quoted a statement from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) as saying. The GSAT-7, an advanced multi-band communication satellite, was launched from the space port at Kourou in French Guiana by the European Space Agency's Ariana-5 rocket. The 2.5-ton GSAT-7 was built by ISRO at an estimated cost of 1.85 billion rupees (28 million dollars). The satellite was successfully placed in transfer orbit and has started transmitting to ISRO's master control facility at Hasan near Bangalore, the statement said. The spacecraft is equipped with transponders to help communication among Indian Navy warships through an encrypted system and reduce dependence on foreign satellites. The satellite was scheduled to be placed in geostationary orbit by September 4, ISRO said. With the launch of the GSAT-7, India joins a handful of countries including United States, Russia, France, China and Britain, that have dedicated military satellites. India has been trying to develop its own heavy rocket but the programme has run into glitches. The latest attempt at a launch of its geosynchronous satellite launch vehicle (GSLV) had to be aborted on August 19 after liquid fuel leaked from the rocket's second stage. -- SPA 11:22 LOCAL TIME 08:22 GMT تغريد
