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Intelsat seeks more Insat transponders; ISRO eyes business with satellite users

C N R Vijaykumar in Bangalore

The International Satellite Organisation has sought the Indian Space Research Organisation's services for leasing some more transponders of the Insat 2E satellite which was launched recently.

Intelsat already has leased nine transponders of the Insat 2E.

ISRO chairman K Kasturirangan said the specific details have not been worked out yet. An Intelsat team was expected to visit the ISRO headquarters in Bangalore later this month.

The team will finalise the handing over of the nine transponders leased out to them at a cost of $ 10 million a year over the next ten years.

Insat is one of the first satellites from which Intelsat had leased out transponders. It otherwise launches its own satellites.

Kasturirangan said that any commercial offering of the transponders would be done only after ensuring that the country's socio-economic development needs were fully met.

Referring to Insat 2E, he said the satellite was functioning normally. The spacecraft controllers at the master control facility in Hassan would apply brakes to the drift of the satellite within the next two days. This will place it in the final orbit position at 83 degrees east longitude, over the Indian Ocean. He said the second meteorological payload on both the satellite and the charged couple device camera -- these operate on three spectral bands of visible, near infra-red and short-wave infra-red bands -- had also been switched on, in addition to the very high resolution radiometer. All these were functioning normally. (Enclosed picture: Insat 2E's wide beam coverage).

VHRR also showed a good performance. The thermal infra-red and water vapour bands of VHRR were likely to be tested out on April 19, he added.

When asked about other user agencies leasing out Insat 2E transponders from Intelsat, Kasturirangan said the broad policy framework for the ISRO leasing out satellites to user agencies within the country had been accepted. The modalities to implement them were being framed. Soon, the ISRO too could offer transponders directly to user agencies.

He said the Insat satellites were comparable or much better than the other satellites such as Panamsat placed in geosynchronous orbit over the region. He said the smooth launch of the satellite and the subsequent operations and manoeuvres carried out by the satellite controllers had enabled the country to gain confidence in building and operating heavy satellites weighing more than 2500 kg (launch weight). "I am very happy with the progress achieved both at ground station level and in space (performance of satellite)," he added. (Enclosed picture: Insat 2E's zonal beam coverage).

Kasturirangan said simultaneously with the payload operations of Insat 2E, the mission controllers had also started checking out the travelling wave tube amplifiers on board the satellites.

The transponders performance with various ground stations would be carried out over the next few days to ensure their proper functioning. The satellite was likely to be declared operational by the first week of May.

UNI

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