APPLE Home / Activities / Missions accomplished


The Ariane Passenger Payload Experiment (APPLE) was ISRO's first indigenous, experimental communication satellite. It was launched into GTO (Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit) (Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit) by the third development flight of ESA'a Ariane vehicle from Kourou on June 19, 1981. It was boosted into Geo-synchronous Orbit (GEO) by apogee motor of ISRO, derived from fourth stage motor of SLV-3. It was designed and built in just two years with limited infrastructure in industrial sheds. It gave ISRO valuable hands on experience in designing and developing three-axis stabilized geostationary communication satellites as well as in orbit raising manoeuvres, in orbit deployment of appendages, station keeping, etc.

APPLE was used for nearly two years to carry out extensive experiments on time, frequency and code division multiple access systems, radio networking computer interconnect, random access and pockets switching experiments.

प्रमोचन भार / Launch Mass:
670 kg
मिशन कालावधि / Mission Life :
2 years
शक्ति / Power:
210
Ariane -1(V-3)
उपग्रह का प्रकार / Type of Satellite:
Experimental
निर्माता / Manufacturer:
ISRO
स्‍वामी / Owner:
ISRO
अनुप्रयोग / Application:
Communication
Experimental
कक्षा का प्रकार / Orbit Type:
GSO (Geosynchronous Orbit)

Mission Experimental geostationary communication
Weight 670 kg
Onboard Power 210 Watts
Communication VHF and C-band
Stabilization Three axis stabilized (biased momentum) with Momentum Wheels, Torquers &  Hydrazine based Reaction control system
Payload C - band transponders (Two)
Launch Date June19,1981
Launch Site Kourou (CSG), French Guyana
Launch Vehicle Ariane -1(V-3)
Orbit Geosynchronous (102 deg. E  longitude, over Indonesia)
Inclination Near zero
Mission life Two years