ISRO renews MoU with Andhra Pradesh on Sat-Com Applications

Bangalore, Aug 25 (UNI) The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Andhra Pradesh Government today renewed their July-2000 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the application of satellite-based communication.

ISRO Satellite Communication Programme Director A Bhaskaranarayana and Andhra Pradesh IT and Communication Department Director T V Parthasarathi signed the renewal of MoU in Hyderabad in the presence of ISRO Chairman G Madhavan Nair and Chief Minister Y S Rajashekara Reddy, an ISRO release here said.

Under the renewed MoU, which also included new applications, Andhra Pradesh would use INSAT capacity for satellite based communication in the areas of distance education, telemedicine, agricultural extension and self-help groups. While ISRO provided the transponder capacity on board its INSAT and the technical support, the Andhra Pradesh Government operated the satellite communication network for these applications.

Soon after the signing of the original MoU in July 2000, experimental transmissions had started in November 2000 from ISRO's Master Control Facility at Hassan and subsequently, in April 2002, a satellite hub station was established at Dr B R Ambedkar Open University, Hyderabad.

Following this, a satellite based ''Andhra Pradesh Net'' was set up in March 2003. At present, a full-fledged MANA-TV was operational with a state-of-the-art studio. MANA-TV had over 2,000 terminals and five television channels and one data channel catering to the requirements of educational institutions like schools and colleges (including engineering colleges). It was used for both formal and non-formal educational training.

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