March 17, 2007	Saturday	Safar 27, 1428

BANGALORE: An Indian satellite designed to boost television and communication services was on Friday nudged into its final orbit, the national space agency said. “The satellite is now in the top orbit. Everything is fine,” S.

Krishnamurthy, spokesman for the Bangalore-based Indian Space Research Organisation said.

The 3,025-kilogram INSAT-4B was launched by Arianespace's Ariane-5 rocket from French Guiana on Monday after a day's delay caused by a technical glitch.

The Indian-built satellite was placed in the final orbit at a height of 36,000 kilometres above the equator by scientists at the Master Control Facility in the southern Indian city of Hasan.

On Tuesday, the satellite had been sent into its “intermediate orbit” at a height of between 14,000 and 15,000 kilometres above the equator.

The satellite is equipped with 24 transponders designed to beam television programmes directly to households using mini-dish antennas in the country of 1.1 billion people.—AFP