News Broadcasting
Insat 3C launches on Thursday; DD readies for live telecast
Insat 3C will finally be launched tomorrow by an Ariane 4 rocket from the European spaceport of Kourou in French Guiana. The long delayed event will be telecast live by Doordarshan (DD1) from 3.45 am. The launch is scheduled at 4.23 am IST.
According to Indian space agency Isro, all the launch preparations for the indigenously built Insat 3C have been completed at the launch site. The 2,750 kg spacecraft reached Kourou on 4 December 2001 and has since undergone extensive electrical and mechanical tests. It has now been integrated with the Ariane 4 launch vehicle of Arianespace, the space agency that is partnering Isro in the venture.
Isro’s Master Control Facility (MCF) at Hassan in Karnataka meanwhile has been fully prepared to take control of INSAT-3C as soon as it is launched into its geostationary tranfer orbit.
Arianespace officials meanwhile say that final countdown operations for its first mission of the year are now underway following the launch readiness review, which was conducted on Tuesday at the Spaceport. The review verified the “go” status of the Ariane 4 vehicle, its INSAT 3C satellite payload, the launch infrastructure at the Guiana Space Center, and the downrange tracking stations that will follow the mission’s trajectory. Flight 147 will use an Ariane 42L version of the Ariane 4 launcher family, which is equipped with two liquid strap-on boosters added to the first stage for additional thrust during liftoff and initial ascent.
INSAT 3C has been developed and assembled by Isro, and will be placed at an orbital position of 74 deg East (over the Indian Ocean). INSAT 3C will carry 24 C-band, six extended C-band and two S-band transponders and a Mobile Satellite Service Transponder operating in S-band up-link and C-band down link frequencies, Isro officials say. It will provide telecommunications and TV coverage over the Indian subcontinent via the transponders on board.
The spacecraft will be the eighth Indian satellite orbited by Ariane launchers. The relationship between Arianespace and Isro dates back to the Ariane launch in June 1981 when the first Indian satellite, Apple was launched.
News Broadcasting
News18 India launches Command Centre war explainer with Arya
New show shifts from debates to decoding global conflicts and impacts
MUMBAI: News18 India has rolled out a new war-focused programme, Command Centre, featuring Gaurav Arya, as it looks to offer viewers a sharper, more grounded take on global conflicts amid rising tensions in West Asia.
Positioned as an “insider war room”, the show moves away from conventional panel debates and instead focuses on explaining military developments, decoding strategy and connecting global events to their everyday impact, from fuel prices to economic shifts.
The format leans heavily on visuals and data. The studio has been designed like a command hub, complete with large LED war maps, real-time graphics and an alert system to track developments as they unfold.
At the centre of it all is Arya, who brings his military background to simplify complex war strategies for viewers. His signature line, “Seedhi baat samjhiye”, anchors the show’s promise of clarity over noise.
News18 India managing editor Jyoti Kamal said, “Command Centre, featuring Major Gaurav Arya is designed to deliver accurate insights and a clear perspective on how evolving conflicts impact everyday life, from household budgets to national security. With expert voices analysing every development in real time, the show goes beyond headlines to decode what’s happening now, what it means, and what could come next.”
Echoing the intent, Gaurav Arya added, “In times of war, confusion is the biggest threat. With News18 India’s Command Centre, we are bringing viewers inside the war room, decoding strategies, tracking every escalation, and explaining, in the simplest terms, what it means for India and for every household. Seedhi baat samjhiye, this is where you understand not just what is happening, but what happens next.”
The weekday show will air in the afternoon slot and will also feature Gaurav Shukla, adding to its editorial depth.
With its mix of analysis, visuals and a clear focus on impact, the show reflects a broader shift in news consumption. Viewers are no longer just watching events unfold, they are looking to understand what those events mean for them.
