India's heaviest satellite GSAT-11, that would boost broadband services in the country, was successfully launched by an Arianespace rocket from French Guiana in the early hours of Wednesday, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said.
Blasting off from the Ariane Launch Complex in Kourou, a French territory located along the northeastern coast of South America, at 02:07 am (IST), the Ariane-5 vehicle injected the GSAT-11 into orbit in a flawless flight of about 33 minutes.
"ISRO's heaviest and most-advanced high throughput communication satellite
GSAT-11 was successfully launched from the spaceport in French Guiana during the early hours today," the Bengaluru-headquartered Indian space agency said.
The ISRO hired Ariane-5 rocket as its own geosynchronous satellite launch vehicle GSLV MK III can only haul satellites that weighs upto 4 tonnes.
GSAT-11 has been described as India's "richest space asset" by the ISRO.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the ISRO on the successful launch and called it a "major milestone" for the country's space programme, which would transform the lives of crores of Indians by connecting remote areas.
"Congrats to @isro for the successful launch of GSAT-11, which is the heaviest, largest and most-advanced high throughput communication satellite of India," he tweeted.
