(16 January 2007 9:00 pm)

MUMBAI: The Indian Space Research Organisation's (Isro) Insat-4B satellite is scheduled to be launched from Kourou in French Guiana in the first week of March.

This was confirmed by Isro chief G Madhavan Nair on Monday. Speaking in Thiruvananthapuram in the southern state of Kerala, Nair was quoted in media reports as saying: "Final tests are being conducted on the satellite and it will be moved to French Guiana by the end of this month."

The Insat-4B, the second satellite in the Insat-4 series, will be carrying 12 KU band and as many C band transponders for communication and broadcasting services.

One likely customer for the KU band transponders is Kalanithi Maran's Sun Group, which had booked space last year on the failed Insat-4C for its DTH venture Sun Direct.

Sun TV had booked six transponders for DTH and one for DSNG (digital satellite news gathering) on the Insat-4C.

Speaking to Indiantelevision last August after the failure of the Insat-4C launch mission, Isro contract management and legal services director SB Iyer had said: "We have the flexibility to accommodate Sun. If there is an early requirement, we can give them space on an Indian or foreign satellite."

Current indications are that Insat-4B, which was originally meant for Doordarshan's DTH service DD Direct Plus will likely be used to accommodate Sun as well.

When asked about it today, Iyer was noncommital though, stating, "We are still deciding we will be accommodating one or two DTH providers."