The DTH (direct-to-home television services) business in India got a filip with the successful launch of communication satellite INSAT-4CR from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh on Sunday.
Indian Space Research Organisation?s (ISRO) three-stage geosynchronous satellite launch vehicle GSLV-F04 lifted off at 6.20 pm, successfully launching the INSAT-4CR in the geostationary transfer orbit. Initially, the launch was planned at 4.21pm, but was delayed because ?some flight parameters were not functioning properly,? an ISRO official said.
The 2,130-kg INSAT-4CR is designed to provide DTH television services and digital satellite news gathering. Besides, it has been designed to serve other users for VSAT and high bit-rate data transmissions. The satellite is designed for a mission-life of at least 10 years. It has been built within a period of one year to replace an identical satellite, INSAT-4C, that was lost due to the failure of the GSLV-F02 in June 2006.
After the successful launch of the satellite, a visibly moved G Madhavan Nair, chairman of ISRO, said, this launch had proved the importance of team work and congratulated the organization for staging a comeback within a year?s time.