India’s GSAT-24 satellite tv for pc launched, total capability leased to Tata Play

By PTI

BENGALURU: NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) launched GSAT-24 in its first “demand-driven” communication satellite tv for pc mission submit area sector reforms, leasing the whole capability on board to Direct-to-Home (DTH) service supplier Tata Play.

Built by Indian Space Research Organisation for NSIL, the satellite tv for pc was efficiently positioned into geostationary orbit by the Ariane 5 rocket, operated by French firm Arianespace, from Kourou in French Guiana (South America) on Thursday.

GSAT-24 is a 24-Ku band communication satellite tv for pc weighing 4180 kg with pan-India protection for assembly DTH software wants.

NSIL, integrated in March 2019, is a Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE), beneath Department of Space (DOS) and is the industrial arm of ISRO.

As a part of “space reforms” introduced by the Government in June 2020, NSIL was mandated to undertake operational satellite tv for pc missions on a “demand driven” mannequin, whereby it has the accountability to construct, launch, personal & function satellites and supply companies to its dedicated buyer.

The total satellite tv for pc capability on-board GSAT-24 can be leased to its dedicated buyer Tata Play, the DTH enterprise of Tata Group, for assembly their DTH software wants.

The Ariane 5 has efficiently positioned two satellites into geostationary orbit: MEASAT-3d for the Malaysian operator MEASAT, and GSAT-24, Arianespace mentioned after launching them on-board Ariane-V VA257 flight from the Guiana Space Centre, Europe’s spaceport in Kourou.

GSAT-24 is configured on ISRO’s confirmed I-3k Bus with a mission lifetime of 15 years.

“‘Demand-driven’ mode basically means when satellite is launched, one will know who the end customers are going to be and what’s the kind of utilisation and commitment so that you have very effective utilisation of this satellite capacity once it goes into orbit”, an NSIL official defined.

“Earlier, the mode was more supply driven, with capacity being leased after the launch with largely no firm commitment by customers before hand,” the official famous.

“The entire mission is fully funded by NSIL — satellite, launch, launch campaign, insurance, transportation, in-orbit maintenance and support. Once the satellite is up in orbit, this will be fully owned and operated by NSIL,” NSIL Chairman and Managing Director Radhakrishnan Durairaj informed PTI.

“So, we will be the satellite operator for this particular satellite,” he mentioned.