Opinion - Editorials

Signpost in space

THE SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH of the communications and meteorological satellite, Insat-3A, on board a European Space Agency rocket is an important signpost for at least two reasons. First, it will greatly augment the country's own satellite-based communication capacity, something that it badly requires following the expansion in the telecom and television sectors coupled with the indifferent functioning of the satellites of the Insat-2 series. Second, the sophisticated meteorological instruments aboard the satellite, which include a very high-resolution radiometer, a charge-coupled device camera and a data relay transponder, are expected to make a significant difference in improving weather forecasting in the country. At almost 3,000 kg, Insat-3A is not only the heaviest satellite but also the most expensive developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

The shortage of transponder capacity, which forced the country to acquire the Arabsat-1C a few years ago, will not be totally eliminated by Insat-3A, but the package of C-band, upper C-band and Ku-band transponders will go a very long way towards redressing the demand for a wide range of services, which includes provisions for VSAT facilities. India will have to make use of this payload for communication services (along with those available on the five other Insats) for at least a couple of years. The next satellite in the series (Insat 3-D) is going to be devoted wholly for the purposes of meteorology, a decision that is probably dictated by the enormous problems that are thrown up by the lack of comprehensive and state-of-the-art weather forecasting techniques in India. Once Insat-3D is up and running next year, the payload of the final satellite in the series (Insat-3E) can be largely set aside to meet the constantly changing shape in platforms of communication (example: direct-to-home services).

Those who administer ISRO have reason to be pleased that they have been able to overcome the technological glitches that have dogged the satellite programme from time to time. These were most apparent when the country began indigenously designing and fabricating its own satellites, represented by the Insat-2 series. The technical snag in the communication antennae that delayed the lift-off of Insat-3A from Kourou in French Guyana by 24 hours was an extremely minor one. The decision to defer the launch was probably a result of extreme caution and possibly also memories of the failure of the Ford Aerospace-built Insat-1A (which also suffered from a failure in the communication antennae) and the indigenous Insat-2D (which short-circuited after being operational for only four months). Having demonstrated that it can design and manufacture satellites, ISRO's real challenge today is to develop the cryogenic technology that would enable the development of a fully indigenised geostationary satellite launch vehicle. Despite some claims of experimental success, the development of cryogenic engines seems like it will take a few more years.

The successful launch of Insat-3A (which was one of two satellites aboard an Ariane 5 launch vehicle) may have been extremely important for India, but it was absolutely critical for the future of the European space programme. Last year, an upgraded Ariane 5 had self-destructed after it veered off course, making it absolutely imperative for the company Arianespace — which finds itself facing a depressed satellite market and extreme competition — to pull off a textbook launch. Problems with Ariane 5 had forced the European Space Agency to ground all its rockets and postpone some of its ambitious ventures, such as a solo mission to the moon. Another failure would have been a gigantic blow to the consortium that is struggling to keep the European space programme afloat in the face of the threat from powerful U.S. companies such as Boeing and Lockheed Martin. Given this, nothing less than total success would have been acceptable from the point of view of the European space programme.

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