ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) and Netherlands' New Skies Satellites (NSS) have signed an agreement for multiple high-powered 36 MHz Ku-band transponders on the NSS-6 satellite.

The capacity will support the launch of the world's largest free-to-air direct-to-home (DTH) service for Doordarsan, India's national broadcaster.

The DTH service, expected to begin in June, will provide an initial bouquet of 30 free channels, 15 from Doordarshan and 15 from private broadcasters, as well as 20 radio channels throughout India. Additionally, one of the transponders is expected to be used for digital satellite newsgathering, says an official release.

"It is an honor for us to be associated with such a prestigious organization as ISRO to support Doordarshan's entry into DTH services," said Dan Goldberg, New Skies chief executive officer. "With Doordarshan's reputation for high quality programming and their broad base of viewers, this agreement is sure to make NSS-6 a prime spot for DTH throughout the Indian subcontinent."

From its prime orbital position at 95 degrees east longitude, NSS-6 covers two-thirds of the world's population - India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and parts of Myanmar, as well as the rest of Asia, southern Africa, the Middle East, Australia and a number of the Pacific Islands - with six high-performance Ku-band beams that can deliver direct-to-home power and performance, adds the release.