Cabinet clears new satellite to replace Insat 2E & 3B

The Union Cabinet has approved a communication satellite, GSAT 10, which will replace the existing and ageing Insat 2E and Insat 3B satellites. The satellite will be designed and developed at a cost of Rs 7.35 billion with a foreign exchange component of Rs 6.34 billion within 20 months, government sources say. The satellite will have 12 high power Ku-band transponders, 12 C-band and 12 Extended C band India coverage transponders and a navigation payload. It will also provide on-orbit back-up for the GAGAN navigation payload. As reported first on Indiantelevision.com, on 24 July the cabinet had approved the launch of GSAT 11 within 30 months with 16 beams in Ku-band and frequency reuse factor of 4.

The two new communication satellites are to be launched within the next three years at a cost of Rs 12.35 billion, aimed at creating additional capacity of transponders and for direct-to-home (DTH) applications. The spacecraft structure is designed for a lift off mass of about 3337 kg with a dry mass of approximately 1432 kg. The Spacecraft employs a proven 1-3K structure used to realise INSAT 4A and 4B satellites. The spacecraft is configured with 2-sided solar array panels to generate around 6 KW of DC power. GSAT 11 will be able to provide 10 GHz effective bandwidth equivalent to about 220 transponders of 36 MHz.

-Indiantelevision