India, which aims to launch a satellite with the GSLV after three successful tests, will join the United States, the European Space Agency, Japan, Russia and China as a member of the satellite launch club if all goes to plan. Right from then the GSLV had been seen as a goal,'' he said. A launch window is being kept open till April 3 as a backup. A geostationary satellite orbits Earth at the same rotational rate as the planet, which means it remains above the same spot on Earth's surface. Powerful communications satellites usually fall into this category.
Geostationary satellites move in an east-west orbit.
It is roughly twice the capacity of PSLV,'' K. Kasturirangan, chairman of ISRO, told Reuters on Saturday. A key aspect of the GSLV is the use of a Russian engine that employs fuel like liquid hydrogen, which has to be stored at very low temperatures. India was set to receive the technology to operate the engine from Moscow, but that was stalled by U.S.-led sanctions linked to New Delhi's nuclear program. India is using the engine as a component in the GSLV, but without a technology transfer. Hydrogen, which is used in the propellant, is considered the most efficient fuel.