(29 June 2006 9:00 pm)

MUMBAI: Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) is targeting the launch Insat -4C in the second week of July. The launch of this satellite, the second in the Insat 4 series, is being seen as a big boost for the DTH operators.

Kalanithi Maran's Sun Group has booked space on Insat 4C for its direct-to-home (DTH) venture Sun Direct.

Insat 4C will be put into orbit by the Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle-5 (GSLV), which will blast off the from the launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota. Insat 4C satellite will be used for broadcasting 150 TV channels through the direct-to-home platform.

"Preparations are on for the launch from the second launchpad," Satish Dhawan Space Centre director Shar M Annamalai said.

Isro officials say launch from a homegrown rocket meant cutting launch costs by one-third. If the same was to be launched from the spaceport of Kourou in French Guiana by an Ariane vehicle (as was the case for Insat 4A), India would have had to pay 30 to 35 per cent more.

According to media reports, 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, the 2,180 kg spacecraft is designed for a mission life of 10 years.

On 22 December, last year, Isro had successfully placed Insat 4A in the Geostationary orbit with the Launch provider Ariane 5G.

Ariane 5G also carried Meteosat weather Satellite for Eumetsat along with Insat 4A. This also marked Ariane the only commercial launcher in service capable of simultaneously launching two payloads.

At present, besides DD Direct Plus managed by the pubcaster Prasar Bharati, the Subhash Chandra owned Dish TV and the soon to launch Tata-Sky service from the Tata-Star consortium, has leased all 12 Ku-band transponders on the Insat 4A satellite enabling it to provide about 150 channels.