ISRO's upcoming GSAT-30 satellite set to expand Indian DTH services beyond South Asia

India is all set to launch the flagship communication satellite GSAT-30 onboard Ariane 5, a European heavy-lift launch vehicle, from the French Guiana on January 17, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) said on Monday. This satellite will help expand the coverage of Indian DTH (Direct-to-Home) to a larger audience in Asia, which means Indians settled abroad can enjoy Indian DTH services. This satellite will be India's first launch of this decade.

ISRO said the GSAT-30 is to serve as a replacement to INSAT-4A spacecraft services which had a limited coverage area. INSAT-4A’s usage of the Ku-band and C-band is how DTH operators like TataSky, Airtel TV, Dish TV and others provide services to customers in India. The GSAT-30 will provide Indian mainland and islands coverage in Ku-band and extended coverage in C-band covering Gulf countries, a large number of Asian countries and Australia, according to ISRO.

READ | ISRO's GSAT-30 Satellite To Be Launched Onboard Ariane-5 From French Guiana On Jan 17

What are Ku and C bands?

Geo-stationery satellites that orbit Earth at the altitude of over 35,000 km above the equator are used for transmission of television channels. Satellite transmission of television channels is usually done using two types of bands – C band with frequencies ranging from 4.0 to 8.0 gigahertz and Ku Band with frequencies ranging between 12 to 18 gigahertz.

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Mission life of 15 years

The 3,357 kg GSAT-30 is said to have a mission life of 15 years wherein it will be an operational communication satellite for DTH, television uplink and VSAT services. The satellite is a successor of the INSAT/GSAT satellite series. INSAT-4A was launched in 2005 and designed to last 12 years, however, its advanced tech allowed it to serve for fifteen years.

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