Operator EADS Astrium Longitude 102° East Mission duration 2.3 years | Launch mass 350 kilograms (770 lb) Launch date 19 June 1981 Launch site Guiana Space Centre Mission type Communication | |
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Deactivated 19 September 1983 (1983-09-20) Similar Bhaskara, Aryabhata, Rohini, INSAT‑1A, Space Capsule | ||
The Ariane Passenger PayLoad Experiment (APPLE), was an experimental communication satellite with a C-Band transponder launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation on June 19, 1981 by Ariane, a launch vehicle of the European Space Agency (ESA) from Centre Spatial Guyanais near Kourou in French Guiana.
APPLE was India's first three-axis stabilised experimental Geostationary communication satellite. On July 16, 1981, the satellite was positioned at 102° E longitude. The 672 kg satellite served as testbed of the Indian telecommunications space relay infrastructure despite the failure of one solar panel to deploy.
It was used in several communication experiments including relay of TV programmes and radio networking. It was a cylindrical spacecraft measuring 1.2 m in diameter and 1.2 m high. Its payload consisted of two 6/4 GHz transponders connected to a 0.9 m diameter parabolic antenna. It went out of service on September 19, 1983.
