Satellites

Govt must frame rules for space communication

This is OneWeb's 18th launch and third this year. With this its overall constellation count has gone up to 618 satellites

Company's eighteenth launch will complete global constellation of satellites connecting connect enterprises and governments

Launch enables company to expand coverage of communication services worldwide

NISAR was envisioned by NASA, ISRO eight years ago in 2014 as a powerful demonstration of the capability of radar as a science tool and help us study Earth's dynamic land and ice surfaces in detail

Bengaluru-based space data start-up Pixxel on Monday unveiled the first-ever set of images from its hyper-spectral pathfinder satellites. The images, released as part of its First Light campaign, capture intricate details of the land and water features of regions such as Krishna River Delta (India), Palm Islands (Dubai), Super pit (Australia), Saloum River Delta (Senegal), Granny Smith Gold mine (Australia) and Brockman (Australia). "The images will help unearth unseen problems that are invisible to satellites in orbit today and enable sectors to make more informed and evidence-backed decisions related to global phenomena," Awais Ahmed, CEO of Pixxel said. Capable of detection, identification and quantification of surface materials as well as biological and chemical processes, these images highlight specific factors such as soil types, mountain ranges, bare lands, gold mines, reservoirs, agricultural farms, delta regions and urban settlements among others. "With the launch of the

India has launched 353 foreign satellites since 2014, earning the country foreign exchange, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said on Wednesday. He said India earned 187 million euros from European countries and 39 million dollars from the US by launching satellites since the Modi government came to power in 2014. Earlier, in reply to a question in Lok Sabha, Singh said in order to promote and encourage public-private-participation projects and start-ups, a central PSU called "NewSpace India Limited (NSIL)" has been established. He said a single-window nodal agency "Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe)" has been established to promote non-government entities and to create an ecosystem for private companies in the space sector. Singh said 135 applications have been received by IN-SPACe from non-governmental entities and start-ups in the space sector. Responding to a question on start-ups in the sector, Singh said a new seed fund scheme has been approved b

The second lot of 36-satellites belonging to the UK-based Network Access Associated Ltd (OneWeb) will be launched by an Indian rocket sometime in March 2023, it is learnt

With 542 satellites now in orbit, OneWeb has more than 80 per cent of its first-generation constellation launched

SpaceX launched internet satellites for a competitor Thursday, stepping in to help after the London-based OneWeb company halted its flights with Russia over the invasion of Ukraine. The Falcon rocket blasted off at sunset with 40 mini satellites bound for polar orbit. They will expand OneWeb's constellation to just over 500, nearly 80% of the planned total of about 630 satellites. Elon Musk's SpaceX has more than 3,200 Starlink satellites in orbit, providing high-speed, broadband internet to remote corners of the world. Amazon plans to launch the first of its internet satellites early next year from Cape Canaveral. With the market for global internet service growing exponentially, there's room for everyone, said Massimiliano Ladovaz, OneWeb's chief technology officer. SpaceX agreed to launch satellites for OneWeb after the British company broke ties with Russia in March. Russian Soyuz rockets already had launched 13 batches of OneWeb satellites, beginning in 2019. India picked up

A satellite gateway (also referred to as a teleport or hub) is a ground station that transmits data to and from the satellite to the local area network

Company behind privately developed rocket is looking for investors, says its co-founder

The government on Friday said it will deregulate uplinking of satellite television channels within a month in a bid to make India an uplinking hub. Addressing the India Space Congress here, Information and Broadcasting Secretary Apurva Chandra said of the 898 television channels broadcast in the country, 532 use foreign satellites for uplinking and downlinking of their services. "We want to deregulate uplinking to satellites under the guidelines so that India can become a hub," Chandra said. He said the uplinking and downlinking guidelines were last issued in 2011 and the process to revise them was underway. "The guidelines will be revised soon, may be within a month," Chandra told reporters later. He said neighbouring countries such as Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan can also use India as a hub for uplinking their television channels. Chandra said the government had approved USD 102 million (one million = 10 lakh) in remittances to foreign satellite operators over the last two years fo

The government will soon deregulate uplinking of satellite television channels in a bid to make India an uplinking hub. Addressing the India Space Congress here, Information and Broadcasting Secretary Apurva Chandra said on Friday that of the 898 television channels broadcast in the country, 532 use foreign satellites for uplinking and downlinking of their services. "We want to deregulate uplinking to satellites under the guidelines so that India can become a hub," Chandra said. He said the uplinking and downlinking guidelines were last issued in 2011 and the process to revise them was underway. "The guidelines will be revised soon, may be within a month," Chandra told reporters later. He said neighbouring countries such as Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan can also use India as a hub for uplinking their television channels. Chandra said the government had approved USD 102 million (one million = 10 lakh) in remittances to foreign satellite operators over the past two years for providing .

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is all set to make its maiden commercial launch of 36 broadband communication satellites on-board the space agency's heaviest rocket Launch Vehicle LVM3-M2, the countdown for which began early on Saturday at Sriharikota spaceport in Andhra Pradesh. The 43.5 metre tall rocket is scheduled to lift-off from the second launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 12.07 am on Sunday. The rocket is dubbed as one of the heaviest for its ability to carry satellites upto 8,000 kgs. Sunday's launch assumes significance as the LVM3-M2 mission is the maiden dedicated commercial mission for NewSpace India Ltd, the commercial arm of ISRO. The mission is being undertaken as part of the commercial arrangement between NewSpace India Ltd and United Kingdom-based Network Access Associates Ltd (OneWeb Ltd), ISRO said. According to the space agency, the mission would carry the heaviest payloads with 36 satellites of OneWeb becoming the ..

Shortly after Friday midnight, the countdown will begin for the launch of 36 broadband communication satellites on board ISRO's heaviest rocket Launch Vehicle Mark 3 (LVM3) from Sriharikota spaceport. The launch of 'LVM3 - M2/OneWeb India-1 Mission' is scheduled at 0007 hours IST on October 23 (midnight of October 22). OneWeb is a private satellite communications company. India's Bharti Enterprises is a major investor and shareholder in OneWeb. It will mark the launcher's entry into the global commercial launch service market, according to the Bengaluru-headquartered national space agency. "A 24-hour countdown is slated to begin at 0007 hours on October 22," an Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) official said on Friday afternoon. NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), a central public sector enterprise under the Department of Space, had earlier signed two launch service contracts with the London-headquartered Network Access Associated Limited (OneWeb) for launching OneWeb LEO (low

Virgin Orbit's fully mobile LauncherOne system conducted its first ever evening flight from a bare concrete pad and a runway at the Mojave Air and Space Port in California

The GSAT-24 satellite, built by ISRO for NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), was successfully launched by French company Arianespace from Kourou in French Guiana (South America) on Thursday

Two official sources acknowledged that Department of Telecom (DoT) is considering auctioning spectrum only up to 27.5 Ghz as sharing between the two services is difficult