An advanced communication satellite called Highly Adaptable Satellite or HYLAS, built by ISRO was successfully launched today by the European Ariane-5 V198 launch vehicle. The satellite was built on commercial basis in partnership with EADS-Astrium of Europe.The launch took place from the Guyana Space Centre at Kourou in French Guyana. ISRO's Master Control Facility at Hassan in Karnataka successfully received radio signals transmitted by HYLAS and the satellite's health is said to be normal. An ISRO release says that HYLAS satellite developed for Avanti Communications of UK consists of ten high power transponders. The satellite is designed to deliver high-speed broadband services through its spot beams over Europe.ISRO won the contract to build the satellite in the year 2006 after competing along with other leading manufacturers of USA and Europe through the strategic alliance worked out between Antrix, commercial arm of ISRO and M/s. EADS Astrium of France. The alliance was formed to jointly develop communication satellites with ISRO platforms and Astrium payloads and market them internationally. Antrix provided the satellite bus and performed the satellite integration and testing at ISRO's facility in Bangalore. HYLAS satellite weighing 2541 kg at lift-off is the heaviest satellite built by ISRO. It is capable of operating for over 15 years mission life as demanded by the customer.