(Source: Twitter/ @isro)Monday’s launch of a geostationary communication satellite, GSAT-19, is perhaps ISRO’s most important mission in the last three decades. The launch is a giant leap for ISRO because of the rocket it is using. In fact, it is just the third and uppermost stage of that engine that has made this launch extra-special. In an alternative arrangement, Russia was allowed to sell seven, instead of original two, cryogenic engines but could not transfer the technology to India. It can also hope to garner a significant share of the international satellite launch market now that it is able to launch payloads heavier than 3 tons.

Source: Indian Express June 05, 2017 23:48 UTC