isro: INSAT-4B decommissioned after 11 manoeuvres in space
BENGALURU: The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro), as a part of its continual efforts towards preservation of long-term sustainability of outer space, has decommissioned INSAT-4B through 11 manoeuvres that pushed the communication satellite into a desired orbit mandated by international guidelines. "INSAT-4B has undergone post mission disposal (PMD) at the end of its life followed by decommissioning on January 24, 2022 to comply with the UN and the INTER Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) recommended space debris mitigation guidelines," Isro said. INSAT-4B was launched on March 12, 2007 for DTH and other communication services. After completing nearly 14 years of on-orbit operations, the C band and Ku band payload services of INSAT-4B were migrated to other GSATs before commencement of the post mission disposal. "As per IADC space debris mitigation guidelines, at its end-of-life, a GEO object should be raised to a nearly circular orbit well abov