Isro launches India’s ‘gift’
India on Friday launched a communication satellite that would be jointly used with Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives and Sri Lanka.
A S Kiran Kumar, chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro), said a geosynchronous satellite launch vehicle successfully lifted off with GSAT-9, also called the South Asia satellite. The satellite’s operations and controls would be controlled from Isro’s facility in Hasan. The satellite will reach its orbit in a few weeks.
Addressing the heads of the neighbouring nations, who joined through a teleconference, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “Today (Friday) is a historic day for South Asia. A day without precedent. With this launch, we have started our journey to build the most advanced frontier of our partnership. With its position high in the sky, the symbol of South Asian co-operation would meet the aspirations of economic progress of more than 1.5 billion people in our region and extend our global links into outer space.”
The satellite will provide services specific to individual countries according to their needs, priorities and common services.
“The sky is not the limit when it comes to regional cooperation among line-binding countries. Sabka sath sabka
vikas will be the guiding light for action and co-operation in South Asia,” Modi said.
This was one of the few launches for which the media was not invited. Isro officials remained tight-lipped on details.
The successful launch of the satellite marks the fulfilment of a promise made two years ago. In 2014, Prime Minister Modi asked Isro to develop a Saarc satellite that could be dedicated as a “gift” to the neighbours. It was earlier referred as the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) satellite but renamed after Pakistan opted out of the project.
The cost of launching this satellite was estimated at ~450 crore and India has borne the entire cost.
According to experts, neighbouring countries would get benefits worth ~10,000 crore ($1.5 billion) over the satellite’s 12-year lifespan.
This is the first time a regional technological powerhouse has gifted a communication satellite to its neighbours. Other consortia jointly operate satellites but those are commercial, for-profit enterprises.
GSAT-9 is a geostationary communication satellite that can provide various communication applications. It would also help in natural resources mapping, tele-medicine, education and deeper IT (information technology) connectivity. The satellite would also be able to give disaster support.
GSAT-9 can provide communication applications and disaster support, among others