ISRO to focus on new communication satellites, GSLV

Bangalore: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will build a new class of communication satellites with increased capacity and new technologies, according to chairman K Radhakrishnan.

These satellites will handle larger amount of power and carry a larger number of transponders on the same satellite, he said. Radhakrishnan also said that ISRO planned to incorporate new technologies in these satellites and step into higher bands.

"Today, we are at Ku band. We want to get into Ka band and even higher band. This is one of the priorities (in the coming five-year plan (which starts in April next year)", Radhakrishnan said.

He is also chairman of the Space Commission and secretary in the department of space.

"In remote sensing (satellite field), we have to get into environmental studies and climate change studies. This is one requirement, new requirement (in the next five-year plan)," he said.

He also revealed that ISRO would launch its first navigation satellite next year, which will be part of the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) programme. The first of the series will be followed by six more such satellites.

"So, these will have live coverage over Indian region," Radhakrishnan said.

Radhakrishnan also said that the GSLV Mk-III (which can lift a four tonne satellite) would be one of the "major targets" in the coming five-year plan. The current model of the GSLV can carry satellites weighing 2.2 tons into space.