GSAT24, India's first 'demand-driven' satellite, to start beaming TV channels for TataPlay

Gateway Earth Station of Tata Play for GSAT24. Photo: Deepsekhar Choudhury/ Moneycontrol

Built by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and operated by New Space India Limited, GSAT24 -- India's first 'demand-driven' satellite -- is being commissioned by Tata Play to beam 900 television channels from space from August 7.

"Earlier satellites used to be built and launched, and after that capacity used to be given to customers for very short periods of time such as on a quarterly basis or annual basis," said Radhakrishnan Durairaj, Chairman and Managing Director of NSIL.

"After the space sector reforms of June 2020, we are now moving into a demand-driven mode from a supply-driven mode. What this means is when NSIL is getting ready to send a satellite into space, we need to have an anchor customer who is ready to take this capacity," he added.

GSAT-24 was specifically launched for Tata Play (earlier known as TataSky) in June last year, which will help increase its carrying capacity to 900 channels and cover the length and breadth of the country including far-flung places like Andaman Nicobar and Lakshsdweep islands.

After the launch, ISRO took time to place the satellite in the desired slot of 36,000-kilometre geosynchronous orbit. The satellite was first tested by ISRO and handed over to Tata Play, which carried out its own tests.

GSAT-24 is a 24-Ku band communication satellite weighing 4,180 kg with pan-India coverage for meeting DTH application needs. Last year in June, it was launched on-board Ariane-V VA257 flight from the Guiana Space Centre, Europe's spaceport in Kourou.

"After this, we are also looking at building GSAT 20 which is a high throughput satellite and will be for meeting broadband communication needs. We are in discussions with some customers to see the capacity is booked and then we will be ready to launch it quickly," said Durairaj.

"Our target is somewhere in the first quarter or second quarter of next year. Not being too optimistic, but we can expect one or two satellites being launched every year which will be built by ISRO and then we will give the capacity to the customer," he added.

As part of space reforms announced by the government in June 2020, NSIL was mandated to undertake operational satellite missions on a "demand-driven" model, wherein it has the responsibility to build, launch, own and operate satellites and provide services to its committed customer.