Insat 4B, the latest communication satellite from the Indian Space Research Organisation stable, will be dedicated to the nation by President APJ Abdul Kalam on June 8, at ISRO’s Master Control Facility in Hassan.
ISRO Chairman G Madhavan Nair told reporters on the sidelines of the launch ceremony of VSAT Channel on Monday, that Insat 4B, launched aboard Ariane 5 on March 12, carried 12 high-power Ku band transponder and 12 C band transponder.
The satellite is currently at its orbital home of 93.5 degrees east longitude where it was earlier co-located with Insat 3A
Launch
Mr Nair said preparations were on for the launch of Insat 4-CR this September.
It will replace Insat 4C, which was reduced to debris shortly after taking off in July last year.
On the ambitious Chandrayan moon mission programme, he said the space vehicle was being built at the ISRO satellite centre and would be launched in 2008-09.
Mr Nair also said ISRO’s Edusat programme was gaining popularity with over 20,000 schools in the country benefiting from it. “There is scope to double this in the coming years,” he added.