Sep 4 1983
From The Space Library
September 4-19: INSAT 1B, the India communications satellite successfully launched from STS-8 August 31, had solar-array problems, said Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) scientists who worked with engineers from Ford Aerospace, the manufacturer, to extend the panels on both sides of the spacecraft.
Press reports later said that the ISRO center in Bangalore had been able to put the entire solar panel in operation after tilting it toward the Sun. But ISRO also announced September 9 that "an unidentified object" struck INSAT 1B only seconds after its release from Challenger; an object about eight inches across that came from outside the Shuttle hit the satellite 23 seconds after separation. Study of a videotape shot during INSAT development ruled out origin of the object in Challenger's cargo bay. Experts said that this was the first spacecraft to be hit in space by a stray object. INSAT reached the correct geostationary orbit 19 days after launch and was to be operational by October 15; the first transmission test, sending and receiving a picture by a master control facility at Hassan, was successful and INSAT 1B was "fully responding to ground commands. " India's first commercial communications satellite INSAT 1, built and launched by the United States to India specifications, was declared officially dead a year ago when it failed to respond to ground commands and ran out of fuel 150 days after launch. (FBIS, Delhi Dom Svc, Sept 8, 10, 11, 14, 15/83; W Post, Sept 6/83, A-3; Sept 10/83, A-22; Sept 12/83, A-21; Sept 20/83, A-6; W Tames, Sept 12/83, 6A)
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