India's first experimental telecommunication satellite APPLE was launched into orbit from which international spaceport?

Introduction / Context:
India's early satellite programme relied on foreign launch services before the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) fully developed its own launch vehicles. The APPLE satellite marks an important milestone as India's first experimental telecommunication satellite. Knowing where APPLE was launched from is a recurring static general knowledge question linked to space technology and ISRO's international collaborations.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• APPLE stands for Ariane Passenger Payload Experiment, commonly described as India's first experimental telecommunication satellite.
• The question asks for the foreign launch site from which APPLE was placed into orbit.
• Options mention launch locations in the USA, Russia, French Guiana and Mexico.

Concept / Approach:
APPLE was launched by the European Ariane rocket. Ariane launch vehicles operate from the Guiana Space Centre, a spaceport located near Kourou in French Guiana, South America. This spaceport is used by the European Space Agency (ESA) and Arianespace. Therefore, to answer correctly, we must associate APPLE with an Ariane launch and then link Ariane to French Guiana, not to the USA, Russia or Mexico.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that APPLE was an Indian telecommunication satellite launched using a European Ariane launch vehicle.Step 2: Remember that Ariane launches take place from the Guiana Space Centre near Kourou.Step 3: The Guiana Space Centre is located in French Guiana in South America, which is an overseas territory of France.Step 4: Match this information with the options: the only option mentioning French Guiana is the correct one.Step 5: Therefore, APPLE was launched from a launch site in French Guiana.

Verification / Alternative check:
To cross-check, remember that early Indian remote sensing satellites such as INSAT and APPLE were often launched from foreign sites using rockets like Ariane. These launches are historically associated with French Guiana, not with well-known American sites like Cape Canaveral or Russian sites like Baikonur. Textbooks and ISRO's official chronology confirm French Guiana as the launch location for APPLE.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• A launch site in the USA: The USA has major launch sites, but APPLE was not launched on an American rocket or from an American spaceport.
• A launch site in Russia: Russia hosts launch centres like Baikonur (in Kazakhstan) and Plesetsk, but APPLE used the European Ariane system, not a Russian launch vehicle.
• A launch site in Mexico: Mexico is not known for launching Indian satellites, and there is no standard historical association between APPLE and any Mexican launch site.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to assume that because early satellites often used Soviet or American launchers, APPLE must have been launched from the USA or Russia. Another error is not remembering that Ariane is a European launcher operated from French Guiana. Linking the keywords “Ariane – French Guiana – APPLE” will help avoid this confusion in exams.

Final Answer:
India's first experimental telecommunication satellite APPLE was launched from a spaceport located in French Guiana.