INSAT-3C

---

title: "INSAT-3C" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["spacecraft-launched-in-2002", "communications-satellites-in-geostationary-orbit", "satellite-television", "insat-satellites", "2002-in-india"] description: "Indian telecommunications satellite" topic_path: "arts/film" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/INSAT-3C" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Indian telecommunications satellite ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox spaceflight"]

Field	Value
name	INSAT 3C
image	Insat3c.gif
mission_type	Communications
Weather
operator	INSAT
website	INSAT 3C
COSPAR_ID	2002-002A
SATCAT	27298
spacecraft_bus	I-2K
manufacturer	ISRO
dry_mass	1210 kg
launch_mass	2750 kg
power	2.765 kilowatts
launch_date	UTC
launch_rocket	Ariane-42L H10-3
launch_site	Kourou ELA-3
launch_contractor	Arianespace
deactivated
orbit_reference	Geocentric
orbit_regime	Geostationary
orbit_inclination	4 degrees
orbit_period	24 hours
orbit_longitude	74° East ()
apsis	gee
programme	INSAT
previous_mission	INSAT-3B
next_mission	INSAT-3D
::

| name = INSAT 3C | image = Insat3c.gif | image_caption =

| mission_type = Communications Weather | operator = INSAT | website = INSAT 3C | COSPAR_ID = 2002-002A | SATCAT = 27298 | mission_duration =

| spacecraft_bus = I-2K | manufacturer = ISRO | dry_mass = 1210 kg | launch_mass = 2750 kg | power = 2.765 kilowatts

| launch_date = UTC | launch_rocket = Ariane-42L H10-3 | launch_site = Kourou ELA-3 | launch_contractor = Arianespace | entered_service =

| disposal_type = | deactivated =

| orbit_epoch = | orbit_reference = Geocentric | orbit_regime = Geostationary | orbit_periapsis = | orbit_apoapsis = | orbit_inclination = 4 degrees | orbit_period = 24 hours | orbit_longitude = 74° East () | orbit_slot = | apsis = gee

| trans_band = | trans_frequency = | trans_bandwidth = | trans_capacity = | trans_coverage = | trans_TWTA = | trans_EIRP = | trans_HPBW = | programme = INSAT | previous_mission = INSAT-3B | next_mission = INSAT-3D INSAT-3C is a multipurpose satellite built by ISRO and launched by Arianespace in Jan 2002. INSAT-3C is the second satellite of the INSAT-3 series. All the transponders provide coverage over India. Insat-3C is controlled from the Master Control Facility at Hassan in Karnataka. It will provide voice, video and digital data services to India and neighboring countries.

Launch

INSAT 3C was launched by the Ariane 4 launch vehicle of Arianespace at 5:17 am IST from Kourou, French Guiana in South America. INSAT-3C was placed into a Geo-synchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO), 21 minutes after the lift-off, in a 3-axis stabilised mode, with a perigee of 570 km and an apogee of 35,920 km and an inclination of 4° with respect to the equator. After 4 maneuvers INSAT-3C has been put in its final three axis stabilised mode on February 1, 2002. The orbit rising maneuvers were carried out in phases by firing the 440 Newton Liquid Apogee Motor(LAM). The satellite carried about 1.5 tonne of propellant (MMH (MonoMethylHydrazine) and MON-3 (Mixed Oxides of Nitrogen)) for orbit raising operations as well as for station keeping and in-orbit attitude control.INSAT-3C like all of its predecessors in the INSAT series has a 3-axis body stabilized spacecraft using momentum/reaction wheels Earth sensors, Sun sensors, inertial reference unit and magnetic torquers. It is equipped with unified bi-propellant thrusters.

Payload

INSAT-3C, carrying Fixed Satellite Services (FSS) transponders, Broadcast Satellite Services (BSS) transponders & Mobile Satellite Services (MSS) transponders is intended to continue the service of INSAT-2DT and INSAT-2C which were nearing their end to life besides enhancing and augmenting the INSAT system capacity.

• 24 Normal C-band transponders providing an EIRP of 37 dBW
• 6 Extended C-band transponders with EIRP of 37 dBW
• 2 S-band transponders to provide BSS services with 42 dBW EIRP
• 1 MSS transponder operating in S-band up-link and C-band downlink

The satellite was designed for operations near 74 deg Longitude.

References

References

1. "Welcome to ISRO :: Satellites :: Geo-Stationary Satellite :: INSAT-3C".
2. "Insat 3". Astronautix.com.
3. Krebs, Gunter D. “. "Insat 3C"". Gunter's Space Page.
4. "INSAT-3C". ISRO.
5. "LyngSat Insat 3C at 74.0°E".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::