Notwithstanding the recent glitches on the Chandrayaan satellite, the Union Cabinet on Friday approved Rupees 500 crores for making of a whole new class telecommunication satellites by the Indian Space Research Organisation.
This will now put ISRO's capabilities closer with that of world's top satellite manufacturers.
The new class of satellite called `GSAT-11' will weigh about 4500 kilograms and will be ready in 30 months. It will have 40 transponders in the Ku and Ka band. This will be the heaviest and most sophisticated telecommunication satellite that will be designed and manufactured by ISRO.
This new and heavy satellite will be launched sometime in 2011 from Sriharikota, using India's still under development very heavy-duty rocket the Geo-Synchronous Launch Vehicle-Mark III (GSLV-Mk III).
The new GSLV will have a liftoff weight of 630 tonnes about a third heavier than its earlir avatar, the GSLV- Mk II.
Interestingly, this announcement by the Union Cabinet also puts a time frame on the final development of the GSLV-III.
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