Page 4 - Satellite

Vodafone Idea partners AST Spacemobile to offer satellite phone services

Telecom operator Vodafone Idea on Wednesday announced a partnership with Satcom firm AST SpaceMobile, a rival of Elon Musk-owned SpaceX, to deliver satellite services on smartphones directly. AST SpaceMobile is building the first and only space-based cellular broadband network accessible directly by smartphones, designed for commercial and government applications, Vodafone Idea said in a statement. "Vi (Vodafone Idea) and AST SpaceMobile Inc...announced a strategic partnership to expand mobile connectivity across India's unconnected regions. AST SpaceMobile made history by placing the first-ever voice and video call from space using a standard mobile phone, a milestone that demonstrates the real-world viability of its advanced technology," the statement said. The company did not disclose the date for the launch of the service. Vi's competitors Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio have joined hands with SpaceX to sell services of its satellite communications (satcom) arm Starlink in ...

Vi, AST SpaceMobile tie-up to offer direct-to-device satellite connectivity

US-based AST SpaceMobile develops satellites that deliver 4G and 5G connectivity directly to standard smartphones without the need for any other equipment

Upcoming kharif crop area estimates to be fully based on satellite data

India will use satellite data instead of the traditional girdawari system for estimating kharif crop acreage, improving accuracy and coverage across all districts

Starlink may launch with ₹3K-4.2K per month plans, ₹33K setup kit

Starlink hardware will cost Rs 33,000 and monthly subscription plans are expected between Rs 3,000 and Rs 4,200, mirroring prices in neighbouring countries

Starlink gets govt licence, to join Jio & OneWeb in India's satcom race

The go-ahead is expected to make Starlink a major player in India's telecom industry providing satellite communication services

Telcos slam Trai satellite spectrum charges as 'unjustifiably low'

Says proposals will create non-level playing field, impact sustainability of terrestrial services

SpaceX launches another Starship rocket, but it tumbles out of control

After back-to-back explosions, SpaceX launched its mega rocket Starship again on Tuesday evening in hopes of making it through the entire test flight and releasing a series of mock satellites. The 123-metre rocket blasted off on its ninth demo from Starbase, SpaceX's launch site at the southern tip of Texas. Plans called for the spacecraft to target a splashdown halfway around the world in the Indian Ocean, after popping out eight objects meant to resemble SpaceX's Starlink internet satellites. It was the first time one of CEO Elon Musk's Starships -- intended for moon and Mars travel -- flew with a recycled booster that aimed for the Gulf of Mexico. There were no plans to catch the booster with giant chopsticks back at the launch pad unlike earlier tests. The previous two Starships never made it past the Caribbean. The demos earlier this year ended just minutes after liftoff, raining wreckage into the ocean. No injuries or serious damage were reported, although airline travel wa

Intelsat gets govt nod for direct satellite broadcast services in India

US-based Intelsat has become one of the first foreign satellite operators to get approval from the Indian government to provide direct satellite coverage to domestic media organisations, a move that would allow the company to expand operations in the region. Following the authorisation from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), Intelsat won new business from three of India's largest media companies, the US company said in a statement here. The IN-SPACe approval authorises Intelsat to operate four geostationary satellites --? IS-17, IS-20, IS-36, and IS-39 --? offering C-band coverage across India. These satellites will support content delivery and distribution both within the country and beyond its borders. "This approval represents a significant step forward in Intelsat's contribution to India's space commerce sector, a source of great national pride," said Gaurav Kharod, Regional Vice President for Asia Pacific at Intelsat. "Our extensive satell

States' race for space investment may help sector hit $44 bn by 2033

This follows the opening up of space to private participatio­n in June 2020, the Indian Spa­ce Policy of 2023, and a luc­­r­ative foreign direct investment policy of February 2024

Vodafone Idea must stop seeking waivers from government and courts

Vi must urgently raise capital

PierSight gains strategic investors to grow satellite maritime surveillance

Backed by Sustainable Ocean Alliance and CE-Ventures, PierSight aims to scale its SAR satellite constellation, boost ocean intelligence, and grow its engineering team

India will see fastest satcom rollout, says Jyotiraditya Scindia

Minister says India's satcom market will grow from $2.3 billion to $20 billion by 2028 as Starlink awaits final clearance and QoS becomes key focus for telcos

Satcom guidelines: DoT looks to finalise key technical conditions

TRAI leaves spectrum sharing and coordination distance norms to DoT as satellite operators await clarity before launching services using C, Ku and Ka bands

From satellites to navigation, India's plan to go deep into space

The country aims to grow its space economy from $8.4 billion in 2022 to $44 billion by 2033, according to a report by Ficci and EY

Mock drills held at Sriharikota Space Centre and Tirupati airport

Mock drills were carried out at Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SHAR) in Sriharikota and Tirupati Airport in Andhra Pradesh on Saturday, in view of the India-Pakistan military conflict. From 9:30 am to 11:30 am, multiple security teams undertook the mock drill at SHAR, an ISRO rocket-launching facility in Andhra Pradesh. The exercise was aimed at evaluating the preparedness, coordination, and response time of security forces in the event of a potential threat, said an official press release. Under the supervision of CISF DIG Sanjay Kumar, various security and emergency units such as the CISF Quick Response Team (70 personnel), CISF Bomb Disposal Team, CISF Fire Department, and medical staff participated in the drill. A three-member Intelligence Bureau (IB) team, two-member marine police team and local police also partook in the drill, which demonstrated effective communication and swift action for the success of the exercise. Similarly, a comprehensive mock drill was conducted at Tiru

Starlink requires IN-SPACe nod to launch satellite communication services

Firm needs all approvals before Trai brings guidelines

Govt issues Letter of Intent to Starlink for satellite internet rollout

The government has issued Letter of Intent to Starlink for satcom services, sources said on Wednesday. Starlink is a satellite internet service developed by SpaceX -- the American aerospace manufacturer and space transportation company founded in 2002 by world's richest man Elon Musk. It provides high-speed, low-latency broadband internet worldwide using satellite technology. Sources told PTI that the Department of Telecom (DoT) has now issued Letter of Intent to Starlink. Prior to this, the government had issued licences to Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications. Unlike conventional satellite services that rely on distant geostationary satellites, Starlink utilises the world's largest low earth orbit or LEO constellation (550 km above earth). This constellation of LEO satellites (7,000 now but eventually set to grow to over 40,000) and its mesh delivers broadband internet capable of supporting streaming, online gaming, and video calls.

India to launch 52 spy satellites over next five years: INSPACe chairman

India will put in orbit a constellation of 52 satellites over the next five years to step up space-based surveillance capabilities, Pawan Kumar Goenka, chairman, Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) said on Wednesday. He said the move will see strong participation from the private sector. Speaking to PTI on the sidelines of the Global Space Exploration Conference 2025 here, Goenka said, "We have fairly strong capabilities already. It is just that it needs constant enhancement." He said the plan is intended at increasing surveillance capabilities of the defence sector. "So far, this was primarily done by ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation). We will bring in the private sector as we move forward," he said. The satellites will help the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force track enemy movements, monitor borders, and improve real-time coordination during military operations. "The private sector will deliver half of the 52 satellites, while the rest will

'Indian rockets carry more than payloads': PM Modi on space exploration

PM Modi addressed the Global Conference on Space Exploration 2025 and stated that by 2035, India will have its own 'Bharatiya Antariksha Station'

Drones can provide secure coverage compared to satellites: COAI DG

High altitude platforms like solar power drones, balloons, airships, etc, can provide secure and flexible coverage at lower cost compared to satellites, a senior official of telecom industry body COAI said. Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) Director General S P Kochhar said countries like the US, Japan, the UK, and companies like Airbus (Zephyr) and SoftBank are investing heavily in HAPS technologies and India should start working on regulatory framework for HAPS operations, spectrum allocation and airspace management. Kochhar's remarks come at a time when COAI key members Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio have joined hands with Elon Musk-led Starlink for satellite services after initially opposing and obstructing its bid to enter the India market. Starlink is yet to get government's approval to start services in India pending security clearance. "The main purpose of HAPS is similar to satellites, but with the advantage of being able to be deployed rapidly and at a lower