INSAT-3E to be operational by October-end

INSAT-3E will be made operational from this month-end with its services commencing from November first week.

The satellite, which is Indian Space Research Organisation's latest, has 36 transponders, including 24 in C-band and 12 in extended C-band.

ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair said the satellite will reach its final slot in the geostationary orbit on October 10.

The INSAT-3E was launched on September 29 from Kourou in French Guyana by the Ariane 5 vehicle of the European Space Agency. India has a total of 134 transponders for communication, broadcasting and remote sensing services.

"INSAT-3E will enhance the communication and broadcasting capabilities of service providers in the public and private domains. Of the 24 C band transponders, the department of telecommunications has booked 14, Doordarshan seven, and three will remain as spare," Nair said.

"The 12 extended C band transponders are meant for private customers operating VSAT services. We are yet to book the customers," he added.

When INSAT-3E becomes fully operational, ISRO will discontinue using the 23 transponders it has leased from Thaicom and Intelsat.

"We will be saving about $20 million a year by shifting the services from these two foreign satellites to INSAT-3E transponders," Nair said.