ISRO moves GSAT-12 satellite to graveyard orbit

Apr 22 : The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has announced the successful completion of a post mission disposal (PMD) operation for its communication satellite GSAT-12, which took place on March 23, 2023. GSAT-12 was the twenty-third Geosynchronous Earth Orbital (GEO) satellite to undergo PMD before decommissioning, and had been carrying 12 extended C band transponders since its launch in July 2011. After serving for over a decade and being replaced by the CMS-01 satellite, GSAT-12 was relocated to 47.96 degrees E longitude before being moved to a “graveyard” orbit, in line with international space debris mitigation guidelines. The satellite was manoeuvred to a super-synchronous circular orbit of nearly 400 km above the GEO altitude, and all rotating mechanisms, batteries and transmitters were passivated to avoid potential RF interference. The entire operation was carried out by the Master Control Facility (MCF) in coordination with other departments of ISRO.