ISRO to launch two satellites in current fiscal

NEW DELHI: ISRO will launch GSAT-15 satellite in the current financial year and GSAT-16 by mid-2015, the government today said.

In a written response to a question in Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Department of Space Jitendra Singh said GSAT-15, expected to be launched in 2014-15, will carry 24 Ku-bad transponders and a GAGAN (GPS Allied geo Augmented Navigation) payload.

It will be the replacement for Ku-band capacity of INSAT-3A and INSAT-4B to augment the capacity of existing DTH and VSAT services in the country. This will also benefit the civil aviation services in the country, Singh said.

G-SAT-16, expected to be launched between 2014-15, will carry 48 transponders in C-band, Ku-band and Upper Extended C-bands and will also replace INSAT-3E.

It will also help in augmenting and supporting the existing telecommunication, television, VSAT and other satellite based services in the country, the minister said.

Both the satellites were approved in July 2013 and the government allocated Rs 859 crore for GSAT-15 and Rs 865 crore for GSAT 16, Singh said.