Insat 4A installed in payload dispenser system

Televisionpoint.com Team
The Indian communication payload INSAT 4A has been installed atop its Sylda multi-payload dispenser system ahead of its December 22 launch onboard an Ariane five generic launcher from the European Space port of Kourou in French Guyana.

The satellite, a heaviest of the Indian communication satellites, carries a mixed payload of 12 Ku-band and 12 C-band transponders. The Satellite would provide coverage over the Indian subcontinent and all the 12 Ku Band transponders have been leased out to the new Tata-sky joint venture for Direct to Home transmission using Vsats. These transponders could offer DTH customers a bundle of 150 television channels.

The installation of the satellite was a first step to create the payload "stack" for the mission, the last for ArianeSpace for the current year. INSAT 4A would be joined by Europe's MSG-2 second-generation meteorological satellite on another of Arianespace's dual-satellite flights.

As already reported by Televisionpoint.com, The Tata Star combine, in which the Indian partner holds 80% stake, had last month signed an agreement with ISRO to lease all 12 ku-band transponders on the INSAT 4A satellite. These transponders will be used by the company to provide its DTH services to viewers all across India and the satellite is expected to be launched next month.

Insat 4A was scheduled for December 16 launch, but due to some technical aspects it is delayed to December 22. The Insat 4 series has a set of seven satellites from 4A to 4G, with 4D being a spare. All satellites are planned to be launched by 2007, by which time a total of about 250 transponders will be in space across various bands catering to a demand of up to 11 GBPS capacity.