GSAT-24 (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 - Sci & Tech)

Context: Direct-to-home (DTH) service provider Tata Play (formerly Tata Sky), is gearing up to enhance bandwidth capacity by 50%.

• It plans to incorporate 24 new Ku-band transponders on the communication satellite GSAT-24.
• The new capacity will allow Tata Play to offer more channels and services on its platform, besides enhancing the picture quality.

GSAT-24

• NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), a Government of India company under Department of Space (DoS) has undertaken GSAT-24 satellite mission as its 1st Demand Driven mission post space reforms.
• It is built by Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO).
• It is a 24-Ku band communication satellite weighing 4180 kg with Pan India coverage for meeting DTH application needs.
• NSIL has leased the entire satellite capacity to M/s Tata Play.
• The satellite was successfully placed into geostationary orbit by the Ariane 5 rocket, operated by French company Arianespace, from Kourou in French Guiana (South America).
• The Ariane 5 has successfully placed two satellites into geostationary orbit: MEASAT-3d for the Malaysian operator MEASAT, and GSAT-24.