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GSLV to launch Insat-4C on 10 July
MUMBAI: The countdown is on for the launch of GSLV-F02, which will be carrying the state-of-the-art communication satellite Insat-4C into space. The launch is expected to take place around 4:30 pm on Monday, 10 July, the Indian Space Research Organisation announced today.
Preparations for the launch are proceeding satisfactorily at Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota from the second launch pad. The launch vehicle systems have been integrated and checked out, Isro said in a statement issued today.
Insat-4C was transported from Isro Satellite Centre, Bangalore to SDSC SHAR in the first week of June 2006 and since then, it has undergone detailed checks. After propellant filling, the spacecraft has been integrated with GSLV.
The Mission Readiness Review is planned on 6 July, 2006 followed by the meeting of Launch Authorisation Board which will clear the launch. In the next few days, a complete checkout of the fully integrated launch vehicle along with satellite will be carried out. The final countdown and fuel filling for the liquid propellant stages are expected to commence on the morning of 9 July.
Insat-4C is the second satellite in the Insat-4 series. The first, Insat-4A, was launched in December last year, from the spaceport of Kourou in French Guiana by an Ariane5 vehicle, which also carried the Meteosat weather Satellite for Eumetsat.
Isro spokespersons have been pointing out that using indigeneous launch vehicles will result in a saving of about 30-40 per cent or Rs 1.5 billion in expenses per launch. With four satellites to be launched by GSLV Mark II and Mark III, the savings thus will be substantial. Isro will, however, be using the services of Arianespace to launch the Insat 4B satellite from Kouru next year.
“With the commissioning of the Rs 3.5 billion ($75million) second launch pad at Sriharikota, India is the only country to have such a state-of-the-art facility to launch different types of vehicles Ranging from PSLV (polar satellite launch vehicle), GSLV Mark-1, GSLV Mark-II to the upcoming GSLV Mark-III in the four-tonne class,” a top Isro official is reported to have said sometime back.
It’s for the first time that India’s space agency is putting into orbit a two-tonne class satellite. Equipped with 12 high-powered Ku band transponders (Like the earlier Insat-4A), the 2,180 kg spacecraft is designed for a mission life of 10 years.
Insat-4C is designed to provide direct-to-home (DTH) television services, facilitate video picture transmission (VPT) and digital satellite news gathering (DSNG) as well as to serve the National Informatics Centre (NIC) for its VSAT connectivity. The 2,168 kg Insat-4C has a mission life of ten years.
Insat-4C will be used for broadcasting 150 TV channels through the DTH platform. Kalanithi Maran’s Sun Group has booked space on Insat 4C for its DTH venture Sun Direct. All the Ku-band transponders on the Insat 4A satellite, meanwhile, have been leased to the Tata-Star consortium, which will soon be launching the Tata Sky DTH service.
Other than Tata Sky and Sun Direct, there is also Anil Ambani’s DTH venture Reliance Bluemagic, which will be rolling out in due course.
At present, DD Direct Plus managed by the pubcaster Prasar Bharati and the Subhash Chandra owned Dish TV are the two operators offering DTH services in the country.
Salient features of Insat-4C:
Orbit: Geostationary (74 degree East Longitude)
Co-located with Insat-3C, KALPANA-1 and EDUSAT
Lift-off Mass: 2,168 kg
Mission: 10 years
Communication Payloads: 12 Ku-band 36 MHz bandwidth Transponders employing 140 W Travelling Wave Tube Amplifiers (TWTAs) to provide an Effective Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP) of 51.5 dBW at Edge of Coverage (EOC) with footprint covering Indian mainland; Ku-band Beacon as an aid to users to lock on to the satellite signal
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
