INDIA - THE WAY FORWARD.

In 1980 India achieved its first successful satellite launch and has since embarked on an impressive 10-year plan of launcher development. The aim is to develop a launch and has since embarked on an impressive 10-year plan of launcher development. The aim is to develop a launch capability for placing INSAT-II communications satellites in geostationary orbit in the 1990's. The present INSAT-I (Indian National Satellite System) is a communications satellite system that became operational in 1983 when INSAT-IB was orbited and stationed over India at longitude 74 degree E. This spacecraft has extended TV coverage to 70 percent of India's population and should be operational for seven years. Ground-based TV receiving dishes have been installed at thousands of India's many villages and supply these communities with educational and social programs plus weather reports and local weather alerts. India is also developing remote sensing satellites to support its work on the surveying of natural resources.