ISRO blinks, INSAT-2B shuts operations

Bangalore, November 6: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) today gave up its battle to save the INSAT-2B satellite and formally discontinued its operations. Servicing from the multi-purpose satellite has been formally discontinued and transferred to other satellites like INSAT-2C and INSAT-3B, following the continued depletion of fuel in the oxidiser which provided for VSAT, telecommunications and television services.

After `successfully’ retrieving the Insat-2B satellite just a couple of days ago, scientists today admitted that the satellite had been giving constant problems despite being relocated on November 3. The satellite suffered loss of earth lock on Saturday evening.

The INSAT-2B has been likened to a scooter on reserve, running despite having reached the end of its lifespan. Launched seven years ago, INSAT-2B, like its predecessors, offered specialised services like data collection that came in handy for relaying and storing data for meteorological predictions, data on telecommunications and television. The typical lifespan of a satellite is a bit more than six years, and INSAT-2B’s design life ran out in July this year. The INSAT -3 series is likely to go into orbit early next year.