GSAT-30
GSAT-30 is an Indian geostationary communications satellite developed and operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), designed to provide multi-band telecommunication services across India and surrounding regions.[1] Launched on 17 January 2020 aboard an Ariane 5 VA-251 rocket from the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana, it has a launch mass of 3,357 kg and is built on ISRO's enhanced I-3K satellite bus platform.[1][2] Positioned at 83° East longitude in geostationary orbit, GSAT-30 carries 12 C-band and 12 Ku-band transponders to support direct-to-home (DTH) television, VSAT networks, television uplinking, teleport services, e-governance, and bulk data transfer applications.[3][2] The satellite's Ku-band payload offers coverage over the Indian mainland and islands, enabling enhanced connectivity for television broadcasting and broadband services, while its C-band transponders provide wide-area coverage extending to Gulf countries, Southeast Asia, and parts of Australia.[2] With a mission life exceeding 15 years, GSAT-30 replaces the ageing INSAT-4A satellite and ensures continuity for critical communication services previously supported by older in-orbit assets.[1][3] It incorporates advanced technologies, including a dual gridded reflector antenna for efficient signal transmission, and is powered by solar arrays with onboard batteries.[3] Following its launch into a geosynchronous transfer orbit, three orbit-raising maneuvers positioned it in its operational geostationary slot, where it continues to play a vital role in India's space-based communication infrastructure.[2]Mission Overview
Objectives
The primary objective of the GSAT-30 mission is to enhance India's geostationary communication capabilities by providing advanced services through its C-band and Ku-band transponders, supporting television broadcasting, telecommunications, and very small aperture terminal (VSAT) applications across key regions.[1] These transponders enable direct-to-home (DTH) television, television uplinking, digital satellite news gathering, and cellular backhaul connectivity, ensuring reliable broadband services for diverse users.[4] Built on ISRO's enhanced I-3K bus platform, the satellite is designed to deliver these services from a geostationary orbit at 83° East longitude.[3] A key goal is to replace the aging INSAT-4A satellite, which has been operational since 2005, thereby maintaining continuity in essential geostationary communication services while offering enhanced capacity and coverage.[5] This replacement addresses the need for upgraded infrastructure to handle increasing demand for high-throughput communications in India.[2] GSAT-30 specifically targets coverage of the Indian mainland and islands via Ku-band transponders, while its C-band provides extended reach to Gulf countries, numerous Asian nations, and Australia, including regions in the Indian Ocean to support broader regional connectivity.[1] This configuration ensures robust signal strength and footprint tailored to national priorities in broadcasting and data services.[6]Significance
GSAT-30 plays a pivotal role in augmenting India's communication satellite capacity within the INSAT/GSAT system by incorporating 12 C-band transponders for wide-area coverage and 12 Ku-band transponders for targeted regional services, thereby enhancing the fleet's overall transponder count to more than 200 across various bands.[7][8] This expansion supports diverse applications, including high-throughput telecommunications and broadcasting, ensuring sustained service continuity amid growing demand.[1] The satellite significantly contributes to digital inclusion by extending reliable connectivity to remote and underserved regions, particularly the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, through its Ku-band beams that cover the Indian mainland and island territories. This enhanced reach facilitates access to essential services like tele-education, telemedicine, and e-governance in areas previously limited by terrestrial infrastructure.[2] Economically, GSAT-30 bolsters key sectors by enabling Direct-to-Home (DTH) television distribution, serving as an internet backbone for broadband services, and providing robust communication channels for disaster management during crises such as cyclones and floods.[8][9] These capabilities drive revenue generation for broadcasters and service providers while supporting national development initiatives.[10] Strategically, GSAT-30 replaces the aging INSAT-4A, which was launched in December 2005 and had surpassed its 12-year design life by 2020, thereby maintaining operational resilience in India's geostationary orbit fleet.[2][11] Its launch aboard an Ariane 5 rocket from French Guiana represented a key milestone in ISRO's collaborations with international launch providers.[12]Spacecraft Design
Bus and Structure
GSAT-30 utilizes ISRO's enhanced I-3K (I-3000) satellite bus, a modular platform designed specifically for geostationary communication satellites to facilitate efficient integration of payloads and subsystems.[1][13] The bus incorporates independent modules for propulsion, power, and payload, enabling scalability and reduced development time for missions in this class.[14] The spacecraft's structure is constructed from an aluminum alloy frame with honeycomb panels, providing high strength-to-weight ratio essential for withstanding launch vibrations and maintaining stability in orbit.[15] This design supports the overall lift-off mass of 3,357 kg while accommodating deployable elements.[1] Power is supplied by two deployable solar arrays generating 6 kW using high-efficiency triple-junction gallium arsenide (GaAs) solar cells, paired with lithium-ion batteries to ensure uninterrupted operation during orbital eclipses.[1] The attitude and orbit control system employs three-axis stabilization through a combination of momentum and reaction wheels for fine pointing, chemical thrusters for major maneuvers, and star sensors for precise attitude determination.[1][16] Thermal management is achieved via a passive system featuring deployable radiators for heat rejection and electrical heaters to maintain component temperatures within operational limits amid the extreme thermal environment of geostationary orbit.[1] This setup, including multi-layer insulation, protects the bus and integrated payload from temperature fluctuations ranging from -150°C to +120°C.[17]Payload Systems
GSAT-30's payload systems are centered on a set of communication transponders and specialized antennas to enable versatile broadcasting and data services from geostationary orbit. The satellite incorporates 12 C-band transponders, each providing a 36 MHz bandwidth, optimized for wide-area applications such as television broadcasting, hub-to-hub connectivity, and telecommunications across an extended footprint that includes the Gulf countries, numerous Asian nations, and Australia.[1] Complementing the C-band capabilities, the payload includes 12 Ku-band transponders with bandwidths ranging from 36 to 54 MHz, designed to deliver high-throughput services like direct-to-home (DTH) television distribution and very small aperture terminal (VSAT) networks. These transponders support focused coverage over the Indian mainland and surrounding islands, enhancing capacity for regional video and data transmission.[1][3] The C-band transponders are fed by a Dual Gridded Reflector antenna, which generates a shaped beam spanning longitudes from 81°E to 93°E for broad regional reach.[18] In contrast, the Ku-band employs a Gregorian Antenna configuration to produce multiple shaped beams providing coverage over the Indian mainland and Andaman and Nicobar Islands, offering beam flexibility for targeted service delivery.[3][18] These payload elements are integrated onto ISRO's enhanced I-3K bus for reliable operation.[1]Technical Specifications
GSAT-30, configured on ISRO's enhanced I-3K satellite bus, has a launch mass of 3,357 kg and a dry mass of approximately 1,600 kg.[1][18] The stowed dimensions of the spacecraft measure 3 m × 3 m × 4 m.[3] It generates 6 kW of electrical power using gallium arsenide (GaAs)-based solar cells deployed on two solar arrays, supplemented by batteries for eclipse operations.[19][20] The propulsion subsystem employs a liquid apogee motor with 440 N thrust, utilizing monomethylhydrazine (MMH) as fuel and nitrogen tetroxide (NTO) as oxidizer for orbit raising maneuvers, along with smaller thrusters for attitude control and station keeping.[21][22] This bipropellant system supports the satellite's geostationary orbit insertion and long-term operations. The mission is designed for a lifespan exceeding 15 years, incorporating redundancy in critical subsystems such as power distribution, thermal control, and telemetry, tracking, and command (TT&C) to ensure reliability.[1][23] As part of its payload specifications, GSAT-30 includes 12 C-band transponders and 12 Ku-band transponders for communication services.[24]| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Launch Mass | 3,357 kg |
| Dry Mass | ~1,600 kg |
| Stowed Dimensions | 3 m × 3 m × 4 m |
| Power Generation | 6 kW (GaAs solar cells) |
| Propulsion | 440 N LAM (MMH/NTO) |
| Mission Life | 15+ years |