Monday, June 27 2005 16:56 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bangalore: India's INSAT-4A satellite is now expected to be launched in August or early September, a little behind the original schedule, following restructuring of the European Ariane launch programme.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman G Madhavan Nair told reporters in Bangalore that there has been "a delay in the Ariane launch programme" and it was being rescheduled.

"The latest information is that by the end of August or early September, we should be able to launch (INSAT-4A)" by the Ariane rocket launcher, he said.

Nair said, "..The number of spacecraft they (Ariane) were supposed to get for the first two launchers... Ours (INSAT-4A) is the third launch. There were some difficulties." The Ariane launch programme was now being rescheduled.

INSAT-4A is the first in the INSAT-4 series, which is planned to have seven satellites. INSAT will have about 225 active transponders in various frequency bands by 2007, which can cater to the demand up to 11 GBPS capacity with the present day technology.

INSAT-4A will carry 12 Ku-band and 12 C-band transponders. Ku-band transponders will primarily meet the growing demand of DTH. The INSAT-4A launch was planned in the first half of 2005.