INSAT-1D (Full name: Indian National Satellite - 1D)

Mission type	Communications, Cloud Observation
Operator	INSAT
COSPAR ID	1990-051A
SATCAT no.	20643
Mission duration	7 years
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type	INSAT-1
Manufacturer	Ford Aerospace
Launch mass	1,190 kilograms (2,620 lb) (Lift - off Mass)[1]
Dry mass	550 kilograms (1,210 lb)[1]
Power	1000 W (Solar array);[1] Nominal Power: 1200.0 W [2]
Start of mission
Launch date	June 12, 1990, 05:52:00 UTC [3][4]
Rocket	Delta 4925[5]
Launch site	Cape Canaveral LC-17B
Contractor	NASA
Deployment date	(2024-01-04UTC02:56:15Z) UTC
End of mission
Disposal	Decommissioned (mission life over)[1]
Deactivated	14 May 2002 (2002-05-15)
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Geostationary
Longitude	83° east [1]
Semi-major axis	42,164.88 kilometres (26,200.04 mi)
Eccentricity	0.0012393
Perigee altitude	35,741 kilometres (22,208 mi)
Apogee altitude	35,846 kilometres (22,274 mi)
Inclination	14.30 degrees[6]
Period	23.93 hours
Epoch	14 November 2013, 15:52:38 UTC[6]

INSAT-1D was 4th and the concluding multipurpose geostationary satellite of the INSAT-1 (first-generation seven-year responsibility for the operation of the INSAT space segment.^[7]

But the success of this launch meant a lot to India - a country that was setting up its national computer networks. Relying on a lot of communication circuits, microwave, coaxial, and fibre-optic telecommunication links throughout the country causes a huge problem; and thus the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) planned at the start of the INSAT-1 series to always have at least two satellites in space to meet the increasing demand of telecommunication links for India's civilian community. INSAT-1A and INSAT-1C had already faced immature death and their plans had suffered a serious setback. Another satellite INSAT-1B, launched in 1983, exceeded its planned seven-year working life.^[8]

Launch

INSAT 1D was built by Ford Aerospace (now Loral Inc) for the Indian National Satellite System.^[9] Initially, the launch was scheduled for 29 June 1989. Unfortunately, 10 days before that, during launch preparation, a launchpad hoist cable broke and a crane hook fell on it damaging its C-band reflector. The fully insured satellite was repaired by Ford Aerospace at a reported cost of $10 million. But that mishap was followed by solar panel damage of cost $150,000 suffered during the 1989 San Francisco earthquake. The satellite was finally launched from Launch Complex 17B, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, United States with the Delta 2 rocket. It had a 7-year life expectancy.^[2]

Structure

The satellite was box-shaped, measuring 2.18 × 1.55 × 1.42 metres (7.2 × 5.1 × 4.7 ft).^[2][1] A solar sail and 11.5-square-metre (124 sq ft) solar panel extended overall length to 19.4 m (64 ft) when deployed. It was housed 12 C-band transponders for telephone and data communications and two S-band transponders for direct broadcast service. A very high-resolution radiometer (VHRR) was installed for meteorological imagery for long-term weather forecasting, storm warning and resource management.^[1]

INSAT-1D played a vital role in replacing INSAT-1B. Moreover, at that moment India already had hired Arabsat's 12 transponders at high cost (the rate of $800,000 per transponder per year). Failure of the 1D mission would compel the government to hire more transponders.^[8]

See also

• Indian Space Research Organisation
• INSAT-1A
• INSAT-1B
• INSAT-1C
• 1990 in spaceflight
• List of Indian satellites

References

Second-generation the Second-generation the External links

• ISRO Satellite Centre, Bengaluru - SALIENT FEATURES OF INSAT-1D
• ISRO - INSAT-!D Archived 2018-03-30 at the Wayback Machine
• NASA Space Science Data Coordinate Archive