Due to a power supply anomaly in one of its two solar panels, there is a partial non-availability of services on Indias INSAT-4B Communication satellite, an ISRO press release said. Read more
DD Direct, Doordarshan's direct-to-home (DTH) service, plans to shift to the Indian satellite Insat-4B between 1-15 June. Though DDs contract with the five transponders on NSS 6 closes on 31 May, it has requested the Netherlands-based company to use the space on one transponder till 15 June. The broadcaster will have to pay Rs 37 million for the extended 15-day period.
UK forces in Afghanistan and Iraq have started using a new satellite system that will see a dramatic improvement in their communications capability. They are now sending voice, images and other data over the Skynet 5A platform. The spacecraft, which was launched in March, is part of a £3.6bn project to upgrade the super-fast connections between command centres.
In the second orbit raising manoeuvre conducted at 12:47 [IST] today (March 14, 2007), the Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) on board INSAT-4B was fired for 41 minutes by commanding the satellite from Master Control Facility (MCF), Hassan. With this LAM firing, INSAT-4B perigee (closest point to earth) has been raised to 32,878 km. The apogee (farthest point to earth) height remains at 35,736 km. The inclination of orbit with respect to the equatorial plane has been reduced to 0.19 deg. INSAT-4B now has an orbital period of 22 hours 41 minutes. The satellite will now be in the continuous radio visibility of MCF-Hassan.
The first critical orbit-raising manoeuvre on INSAT-4B was successfully conducted at 5:35 am this morning (March 13, 2007) with the firing of the 440 Newton Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) on board for 93 minutes by commanding the satellite from Master Control Facility (MCF) at Hassan in Karnataka. With this LAM operation, INSAT-4B perigee has been raised to 14,244 km. The apogee is at 35,752 km and the inclination of the orbit with respect to the equatorial plane has been reduced from 4.5 deg at the time of entering into orbit to 1.15 deg now. The present orbital period is 15 hours 21 minutes.
Isro's latest satellite, Insat-4B, was successfully launched early this morning by the European Ariane-5 ECA launch vehicle from Kourou in French Guiana. The 3,025 kg Insat-4B is the second satellite in the Insat-4 series. An identical satellite, Insat-4A, was launched by Ariane-5 on 22 December, 2005.
Arianespace begins its 2007 mission activity with a successful dual-payload launch Ariane 5 underscored its mission capability and operational maturity with tonight's successful dual-passenger mission, which placed the Skynet 5A and INSAT 4B satellites into geostationary transfer orbit. The March 11 mission was Ariane 5's 31st liftoff from the Spaceport and the launch vehicle's 17th consecutive success. Lifting off from the Spaceport in French Guiana, the Ariane 5 deployed Skynet 5A at 26 minutes into the mission, followed four minutes later by INSAT 4B.
"With this first launch of the year 2007, Arianespace has once again demonstrated its leadership. The satisfaction of every customer is our keyword, offering the best possible Service & Solutions to each one" - Jean-Yves Le Gall, CEO.
The British military's Skynet 5 satellite has been launched into space from Kourou in French Guiana. The spacecraft is part of a £3.2bn system that will deliver secure, high-bandwidth communications for UK and allied forces.