SATELLITE

An object in the outer space that orbits or circles around an object which is bigger than the object itself is a satellite. There are two types of satellite natural (which includes moon that is orbiting the earth) and the second type of satellite i.e. artificial such as (International space station orbiting the Earth). The first artificial satellite was an attempt made by the Russians in which a beach-ball sized space probe was lifted on 4th October, 1957 and was named Sputnik.

COMMUNICATION SATELLITE

Extra-Terrestrial Relays: Can Rocket Stations Give World Wide Radio Coverage?-Officer Arthur C Clarke’s book in which he proposed the first practical concept of communication satellite.

A communications satellite is an  artificial satellite that relays and amplifies radio telecommunications signals via a transponder; it creates a communication channel between a source transmitter and a receiver at different locations on Earth. Communications satellites are used for television, telephone, radio, internet, and military applications.

About 2000 communication satellites are in the Earth’s orbit, used by both private and government organizations. The purpose of communication satellite is that they relay the signal around the curve of the Earth allowing communication between widely separated geographical points. They use a wide range of radio and microwave frequencies.

Communication satellites also play a vital role in the global telecommunication system. There are three types of  communication satellites namely telecommunications, broadcasting and data communications working in different fields and providing us with cellular services, weather forecasts, social networking sites and  our most dear Netflix which provides us with shows that are now available globally.

One of the largest domestic communication satellites in Asia pacific region is the Indian National Satellite; it is operational with nine communication satellites that are laced in geostationary orbit.

Indian Space Research Organization lunched its first communication satellite in June, 1981 which was named as APPLE (Ariane Passenger Payload Experiment) though an experimental satellite it was launched successfully by Ariane-1 from Kourou, French Guiana  almost 39 years back it was a milestone achieved by the Indian scientists. APPLE was a sandwich shaped satellite which had a Metosat on top and CAT (Capsule Ariane Technique) module below. APPLE was used in several communication experiments including relay of TV programmes and radio networking. APPLE was introduced to the nation on 13 August, 1981 by the then Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi. The Prime Minister than handed over the model of the satellite to the minister of Communication, and the address marked the “Dawn of India’s Satellite Communication era”. The addressing of the Prime Minister on 15th August was carried out by the APPLE satellite.

WORKING OF THE SATELLITE

The satellite is itself a self contained communication system with having the ability to receive signals from Earth and to retransmit those signals back with the use of a transponder and integrated receiver and transmitter of radio signals.

The weight of the satellites should be as light as possible because the cost of launching a satellite is heavy on the pocket and also the cost is based on the weight of the satellite. Satellites must be operative at a very high reliability of more that 99.9% in the vacuum of space with no prospect of maintenance or repair. The communication satellites contain antennas and transponders which receive and retransmit signals, the power system including solar panels that provide power and the propulsion system which includes the rockets that propel the satellite. To maintain a satellite’s orbital position the process is called “station keeping” and “attitude control” means made by using the satellite’s thrusters.

Satellite is continuously operatable over its entire lifespan. Electronical systems and communications payload are operatable with the internal power which is ruled by the satellite, whenever the sun is blocked by the earth the batteries in the satellite is used and they are recovered by the excess current generated by the solar panels in the presence of light.

INDIAN SPACE WORK REGARDING COMMUNICATION SATELLITE

The Indian National Satellite System is one of the largest domestic communication satellite systems in Asia-Pacific region with nine operational communication satellites place in geo-stationary orbit. Established in 1983 with commissioning of INSAT1-B, it initiated a major revolution in India’s communication sector and sustained the same later.

 G-SAT15 was launched on 11th November,2015,after an everlasting countdown of 11 hours and 30 minutes the Ariane launch vehicle lifted off right on schedule at 3:04 am on that day, after a successful flight of 43minutes 24 seconds G-SAT15 separated from the Ariane super stage in an elliptical geosynchronous transfer orbit. ISRO’s Master Control Facility (MCF) at Hassan in Karnataka took over the command and control of G-SAT 15, after immediately separating from the launch vehicle. Normal health was revealed after the preliminary health checks of the satellite.

India’s telecommunication satellite G-SAT 30 was successfully launched into a geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO) ON January 17, 2020 from Kourou launch base, French Guiana by Ariane 5 VA 251.

INDIA REGARDING THE SATELLITE COMMUNICATION POLICY 1997 & 2000

Though there were policy formation in the region of space and there were various laws created for the space and the protection for the satellites sent to the space. A lot was expected from the policy of 1997 for the satellite communication sector in India but only the following 4 points were discussed and kept in mind.

1)      Developing satellite communication launch vehicles and ground equipment industry in India.

2)      Making available and developing further the infrastructural built through the government operated Indian National Satellite System (INSAT)

3)      Encouraging private sector investments in space industry.

4)      Allowing to a very limited extent use of foreign satellite for services in India.

The government realized the insufficiency of the policy in 2000 the government framed “norms” for implementation of this policy the scope of the policy was elaborated by the norms of 2000. The norms in the 2000 policy classified satellite communication services in two broad categories of “domestic” and “international”. Preference was given to satellites and the norms whether they are right or wrong the use of “foreign satellites” for the domestically communication, lacked norms for the use of foreign satellites for international communication. On the following points the norms of the 2000 policy were focused.

1)      Telecommunications

2)      Broadcasting

3)      Educational and developmental communications

4)      Security communications for Defence Ministry / Services

Education and security communications are the rapidly growing sectors and their growth is considerable. In both these cases the normal procedure for adopting the license may not be applicable and also the financial arrangements for INSAT both these sectors may be different.

THE SPACE ACTIVITIES BILL, 2017

This bill has been proposed to protect and promote the space activities of India. The participation of the nongovernmental/private sector is encouraged under the guidance and authorization of the Department of Space. Many startups have shown interest in the space system activities and also the participation of private sectors would help the space agency to grow in size. Also various telecommunications and DTH service providers have shown interest in the investment of the satellites so that they can provide their customers with the best of the services.

 FUTURE OF THE COMMUNICATION AND VARIOUS OTHER TYPES OF SATELLITES

With the evolution of the satellites from the Sputnik to the very present day sophisticated satellite the world as well as the ISRO has shown rapid and commendable changes in the evolution of satellite. The agencies are now concerned about increasing the satellite life span form 10-15 years to 20-30 years in the near future. There is also a lot of focus on technical innovations such as low cost reusable launch vehicle.

Along with the development in the space area the focus should also be on the protection of the environment and the harm it causes the environment and also the debris which falls out in the seas to which there are no claims one such recent example is of the Chinese satellite which fell down only after serving few days in the outer space which fell on its own land.

Stringent laws is the need of the hour and accountability is what is required in the collection of debris around the world and that is why more focus is on the environmental impact of the satellite which should also be reusable and renewable.

SOURCES OF CONTENT

1)    ISRO – https://www.isro.gov.in/Spacecraft/gsat-30

2)    Norms and guidelines of the Satellites communication policy 2000-https://www.isro.gov.in/sites/default/files/article-files/indias-space-policy-0/satcom-ngp.pdf