Insat-2E to be launched today

In the event of a delay beyond the launch window8217;, the flight will be postponed to the same time Sunday or Monday quot;depending on the source of the problem and the time to solve itquot;.

The final launch countdown began at 1230 hrs IST on Friday. Fuelling of the third stage cryogenic engine which will push Insat-2E into space will start three hours before lift-off. A full dress launch rehearsal with the involvement of all participating ground stations has already been completed.

An ISRO team, including its chairman KKasturirangan, project director A Bhaskaranarayana, V R Katti, and T L Danabalan, is already at Kourou for the launch.

Insat Master Control Facility director Dr S Rangarajan said that Insat-2E would separate from the mother rocket 21 minutes after lift-off. Its first signals would be picked up from Hassan 30 minutes later. Rangarajan said all the software on board the satellite were Y2K compliant and hence there was no cause for worry.

Along with Insat-2E8217;s launch an era of the export8217; of Indian satellites will also take off. The last of the second generation satellites, will set the stage for commercial viability of the generations of satellites to come.

This is the first time that India has leased out Insat-2E8217;s communication and meteorological facilities to Intelsat, an international consortium of 104 countries of which India is a signatory.

ISRO8217;s commercial subsidiary Antrix Corporation, has leased out 11 of the transponders of Insat-2E for which the Washington-based consortium will pay India 100 million over a decade. Insat-2E will be available to users by April end, once its in-orbit tests are done.

Till now ministries like Information and Broadcasting, Telecom, and Government departments like Space Technology leased out satellite services to private agencies.

The services of the Indian satellites will now extend up to Central Europe, Asia, even Australia. This means a person in any part of the world can access Indian channels if he wants to.

Insat-2E will also mark the beginning of long-life mission satellites. It has a 12-year lifespan as against the 7-year lifespan of the previous satellites. An extended lifespan means a significant reduction in replacements costs, thereby making the satellite viable.

India has already been mapping not just its own territory, but the whole world with its satellite imageries being sold out to the United States.

The future generations of satellites, will have digital switching which can be done in the satellite itself. This is because there has been atremendous increase in satellite service demands in the last three years, which has made ISRO speed up its Insat programme.

Insat-2E, the forerunner of the third generation Insat-3 satellites, therefore, set an example for ISRO to lease out the services directly to private users, and in turn use the funds to improve infrastructure.

ISRO is also looking at smart satellites8217; in the future. These satellites would do most of the work being done on the ground. The scientists are now working on miniaturisation of technology8217;. If it comes true, every household and vehicle will have a satellite receiver and will be able to do most of his activities using the satellite hub.