south asia satellite

The south asia satellite has 12 Ku band transponders, which India's neighbours can utilise to increase communications. Each country will get access to at least one transponder through which they can beam their own programming

The GSAT-9 satellite, projected as India’s gift to South Asian countries, was developed and integrated to the launcher in city

ISRO: The "South Asia" satellite will be launched on board the space agency's rocket GSLV-F09. Costing around Rs 235 crore, the satellite would serve the neighbouring countries through 12 Ku band transponders carried by it and has a mission life of 12 years.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during the SAARC summit at Nepal in November 2014, announced the launch of a satellite for SAARC nations, as a gift for the benefit of members of the regional grouping in various fields, including in telecommunication and telemedicine. It's called south asia satellite (SAS) and will be launched on May 5. Here's all you need to know about the satellite.

"I am confident that the project will promote friendship and cooperation and help further cement ties between India and her neighbours," the president said in a message to A S Kiran Kumar, the secretary of the Department of Space and ISRO chairman.

The south asia satellite will be launched on May 5, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Sunday, describing it as India's "priceless gift" to its neighbours as part of the 'sabka sath, sabka vikas' concept.

In a move to strengthen co-operation with the entire South Asia region, India launched the “south asia satellite” from Srihari Kota on May 5, 2017. The satellite will be used by all countries of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) region, except Pakistan, which did not want to join in.

The Gsat-9, which will have a footprint that extends all over South Asia, marks India's first 'space diplomacy' endeavour allowing six neighbouring countries to use the benefits of the satellite without having to spend anything on the project.

Months before India put PM Modi’s space diplomacy into the orbit connecting South Asian countries, scientists had set up a hotline between Umsaw, a remote village in Khasi Hills of Meghalaya, and the PMO to demonstrate certain features that are similar to those built into the south asia satellite.

Also called the Geostationary Communication Satellite-9 (GSAT-9), it will have a footprint that extends all over South Asia, allowing six neighbouring countries to use its benefits.

Only the final orbit raising and deployment of the two antennas now remain. Once the antennas are deployed, Isro will nudge the spacecraft into the final orbit, which is called the final orbital configuration, from where the satellite will observe the earth.

Isro's South Asia Communication Satellite was on Friday launched from Sriharikota. The satellite, said to be the brainchild of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is aimed at boosting connectivity among SAARC nations and is being touted as India's 'gift' to the region.

Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) will launch the second developmental flight of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 9.18am on Friday.

Afghanistan minister Syed Ahmad Shah Sadat recently met Indian Ambassador Manpreet Vohra in Kabul to make the request. It is not yet clear if Kabul wants to use a dedicated satellite to track terrorist hideouts.

The GSAT-09 is not only a gift to India's neighbours but will augment the country's communications sector.