INSAT-3E: Indian Communications Satellite for Education, Healthcare, and Connectivity

Overview
INSAT-3E was a communication satellite developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and launched on September 28, 2003. It was the fourth satellite in the INSAT-3 series, designed to deliver high-speed telecommunications, television broadcasting, VSAT connectivity, tele-education, and telemedicine services across India. The satellite marked a major milestone in India’s effort to expand digital infrastructure to underserved and remote communities.

Launch Details

• Launch Date: September 28, 2003

• Launch Vehicle: Ariane 5-V162

• Launch Site: Kourou, French Guiana (ESA Spaceport)

• Co-passengers: Eurobird-3 (Eutelsat) and SMART-1 (European Space Agency)

• Orbit: Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO)

  • Perigee: 649 km

  • Apogee: 35,923 km

  • Inclination: 7°

• Stabilization: 3-axis stabilized

• Launch Mass: 2,750 kg

• Orbital Position: 55° East

• Control Center: Master Control Facility (MCF), Hassan, Karnataka (India)

Mission Services
INSAT-3E provided a broad range of vital services:

• Television broadcasting

• VSAT connectivity (Very Small Aperture Terminals)

• Telecommunication support

• Tele-education – delivering digital education to underserved and rural communities

• Telemedicine – enabling healthcare services to reach remote and village areas via satellite

Decommissioning and End of Life
On April 1, 2014, ISRO officially decommissioned INSAT-3E after it ran out of onboard oxidizer, rendering it unable to maintain its geostationary position. Though initially expected to last longer, it was retired earlier than anticipated. The satellite was moved to a graveyard orbit a few days later by ISRO’s control team at Hassan. It was succeeded by GSAT-16.