Article Posted on : - Aug 07, 2009

A GPS satellite. -- File Photo

NEW DELHI (PTI): India's plans to have a GPS based navigation system got a shot in the arm with the government on Thursday approving development of a communications satellite for this purpose.

A meeting of the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, approved undertaking the design and development of GSAT-10 spacecraft at a cost of Rs 735 crore with a foreign exchange component of Rs 634 crore.

The 3.3 tonne satellite, one of the heavier spacecrafts to be developed by space agency ISRO, will replace INSAT 2E and INSAT-3B, an official release said.

The GSAT-10 satellite will have 12 high power Ku-band transponders, 12 C-band and 12 extended C-band India coverage transponders which would create additional capacity for Direct-to-Home like operations.