India's GSAT-24 satellite launched, entire capacity leased to Tata Play

GSAT-24 is a 24-Ku band communication satellite weighing 4180 kg with pan-India coverage for meeting DTH application needs

GSAT
GSAT-24 is configured on ISRO's proven I-3k Bus with a mission life of 15 years. Photo: PTI
Press Trust of India Bengaluru
2 min read Last Updated : Jun 24 2022 | 1:45 AM IST

NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) launched GSAT-24 in its first "demand-driven" communication satellite mission post space sector reforms, leasing the entire capacity on board to Direct-to-Home (DTH) service provider Tata Play.

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

GSAT-24 is a 24-Ku band communication satellite weighing 4180 kg with pan-India coverage for meeting DTH application needs.

NSIL, incorporated in March 2019, is a Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE), under Department of Space (DOS) and is the commercial arm of ISRO.

As part of "space reforms" announced by the Government

in June 2020, NSIL was mandated to undertake operational satellite

missions on a "demand driven" model, wherein it has the responsibility to build, launch, own & operate satellites and provide services to its committed customer.

The entire satellite capacity on-board GSAT-24 will be leased to its committed customer Tata Play, the DTH business of Tata Group, for meeting their DTH application needs.

The Ariane 5 has successfully placed two satellites into geostationary orbit: MEASAT-3d for the Malaysian operator MEASAT, and GSAT-24, Arianespace said 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 proven I-3k Bus with a mission life 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 explained.

"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 noted.

"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 told PTI.

"So, we will be the satellite operator for this particular satellite," he said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Quarterly Starter

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

Save 46%

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Access to Exclusive Premium Stories Online

  • Over 30 behind the paywall stories daily, handpicked by our editors for subscribers

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

Topics :GSATDTHTata group

First Published: Jun 24 2022 | 1:45 AM IST

Next Story