INSAT-4A

INSAT-4A was the first one in the INSAT-4 Satellites series, providing services in the K_u and C band frequency bands. At the time of launch, it was the heaviest satellite India had produced. The K_u transponders cover the Indian main land and C-Band transponders cover an extended area. It has a dozen K_u transponders and another dozen of C-band transponders. This spacecraft was placed at 83°E along with INSAT-2E and INSAT-3B, by Ariane launch vehicle (ARIANE5-V169).^[3][4][5][6]

INSAT 4A

INSAT-4A spacecraft in deployed configuration
Mission type	Communications
Operator	INSAT
COSPAR ID	2005-049A
SATCAT no.	28911
Website	INSAT 4A
Mission duration	Planned: 12 years Achieved: 13 years, 9 months, 29 days
Spacecraft properties
Bus	I-3K
Manufacturer	ISRO
Launch mass	3,081 kilograms (6,792 lb)
Dry mass	1,386 kilograms (3,056 lb)[1]
Dimensions	2.8 x 1.7 x 2.0 m
Power	5,922 watts
Start of mission
Launch date	21 December 2005, 22:33 (2005-12-21UTC22:33Z) UTC
Rocket	Ariane 5GS
Launch site	Kourou ELA-3
Contractor	Arianespace
End of mission
Disposal	Moved to a graveyard orbit
Deactivated	21 October 2019 (2019-10-22)[2]
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Geostationary
Slot	83° East (0°N +83°E / 0; +83)
Period	24 hours
Transponders
Band	12 Ku band 12 C-band
Bandwidth	36 megahertz
TWTA power	140 & 63 watts
EIRP	51 & 38 dbW

Overview

INSAT-4A was a communication satellite intended for providing high quality television, telecommunication, broadcasting services and was the first satellite to be launched in the INSAT-4 series.

Launch

INSAT-4A was launched by an Ariane 5, produced by Arianespace, on 21 Dec 2005 at 22.33 UTC^[7][8] from Kourou, French Guiana. It was placed into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO), 30 minutes after lift-off in 3-axis stabilized mode, with a perigee of 859 km and an apogee of 36,055 km. Its co-passenger on board was Meteosat-9 of EUMETSAT.

Payload

• 12 K_u band transponders. It was being used by Tata Sky.
• 12 C-band transponders

End Of Life and Replacement

The satellite was placed in the graveyard orbit on 21 October 2019 after almost 14 years in service.^[2] A replacement satellite GSAT-30 was launched on 21:05 UTC, 16 January 2020 aboard Ariane 5 VA251.^[9][10]

References

1. "Salient features of INSAT-4A". Archived from the original on 28 October 2019. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
2. "Historical satellite position data for INSAT-4A for the month of October 2019". Retrieved 28 October 2019.
3. "Insat 4A, 4B".
4. "Insat-4A - Isro". Archived from the original on 2015-09-27. Retrieved 2017-01-29.
5. "SALIENT FEATURES OF INSAT-4A". www.ursc.gov.in. Archived from the original on 15 September 2015. Retrieved 2020-01-16.
6. "Space India, October 2005 - March 2006" (PDF).
7. "Ariane: 5 for 5 in 2005, Successful launch of Insat 4A and MSG-2". Arianespace. Retrieved 2022-12-20.
8. "INSAT-4A Launched Successfully". 2006-05-07. Archived from the original on 2006-05-07. Retrieved 2022-12-20.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
9. "Press Release: India's communication satellite GSAT-30 launched successfully - ISRO". www.isro.gov.in. Archived from the original on 2020-05-30. Retrieved 2020-01-16.
10. "Flight VA251 – first Arianespace mission of 2020 a success: EUTELSAT KONNECT and GSAT-30 in orbit". Arianespace. Retrieved 2020-01-16.

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