MUMBAI: Insat-3E, India's next generation communication satellite, slated to be launched on 3 September, from the spaceport of Kourou in French Guyana has been delayed yet again, to "retest" some components of the communication payload, ISRO has announced on Monday.
The organization said that they were forced to postpone the date because they had found that a batch containing 'faulty' units of critical imported components was used in Insat-3E. The launch will now be prolonged by at least four weeks, as the components have to be re-tested ISRO said.
The faulty components called solid-state power amplifiers (SSPAs), are the core of a satellite transponder. They were obtained from Japanese major Mitsubishi Electric Corporation about two years ago, sources said. The satellite has used 36 SSPAs in all, of which some would be replaced and some repaired, a source said.
This is the second time in one year that the launch of this 2,750 kg satellite been delayed -- it was originally scheduled on 28 August by European rocket Ariane but was putt off till 3 September to carryout additional verifications on the payload.