Rediff On The NeT: Insat: a series that grew beyond expectation

Insat: a series that grew beyond expectation

The Insat series has grown beyond expectation but the demand has kept up as well, considering the capabilities.

Already 63 transponders are operational. While 31 are being used for telecommunications purposes, 22 are serving television distribution with the remaining being used by other applications.

A mobile satellite service has also being introduced. In television, besides the national and metro channels, 14 regional channels and two educational/developmental communication channels are operational. Radio networking has extended the reach of air programmes to all corners of the country through the Insat series.

In meteorological application besides the standard data collection, Insat-based cyclone warning and dissemination system receivers have been deployed in all the coastal states of India. A real-time interactive hydrometeorological data collection system was also being planned for better flood and water management of rivers and dams in the Narmada basin. The satellite-aided search and rescue service is a bonus.

The third generation Insat-3 satellites are being planned to cater to increasing transponder capacity requirements in the Insat system and for innovative use of the satellite capacity for the improvement of the communication infrastructure in the country.

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