GSAT-3, also known as EDUSAT, is designed for distance learning from elementary school to higher education. This was the country’s first specialized “Educational Satellite,” which provided the country with satellite-based two-way connections to classrooms for the delivery of educational content.
This is a geosynchronous satellite built on the I-2K bus. GSAT-3 shared 74oE longitude with METSAT (KALPANA-1) and INSAT-3C. Satcom Technology for Learning is an initiative taken by the government of India. The initiative has been taken to give Receive Only Terminals (ROT) and Satellite Interactive Terminals (SIT) to government schools and colleges to obtain the services of subject experts. It will propagate various schemes in areas where there is no internet access.
The first flight of EDUSAT took place from the Satish Bhawan space center, Shriharikota. During the very first 17 minutes of its first flight, the GSAT3 satellite was successfully placed in a geo-transfer orbit above the Earth. And its project life is 7-10 years, during that duration, it fulfilled its purpose of providing education to students via various methods. As EDUSAT full form says “Educational Satellite”, the satellite provided education via audio-visual medium; making classrooms more interactive and informative for students. It was so successful in its mission that, by 2012 helped 2 million Indian students to get a proper education.
CEC EDUSAT Network
The Consortium for Educational Communication (CEC) is one of the University Grants Commission of India’s Inter-University Centres.
- It was founded to meet the demands of higher education via the use of television and growing information and communication technology (ICT).
- EDUSAT is a satellite solely dedicated to meeting the needs of the educational sector.
- The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) launched it on September 20, 2004, to address the country’s demand for an interactive satellite-based distance education system.
- Through IP-based technology, it has helped transform classroom teaching.
Functions of EDUSAT
- It encompasses the entire geographical territory of the country.
- It can deliver interactive and low-cost education.
- It can provide information consistency.
- The EDUSAT spot beams are more strong, and signals can be received with a smaller satellite dish.
- It is an entirely dedicated satellite to the cause of education.
- Virtual classrooms are beneficial in remote and rural schools. The teacher on the transmission end becomes virtually available to all virtual classrooms on the receiving end. This technique can aid in solving a teacher shortage if in-service training is provided to existing teachers most cost-effectively.
- It can offer audiovisual media as well as interactive multimedia.
- GSAT 3 assists in teacher training programs by connecting teachers in remote areas with training centers and providing them with skill development techniques and knowledge.
- The EDUSAT satellite helps educational institutes and curriculum makers in creating new and upgraded curricula for school and college education.
- The GSAT 3 satellite helps in setting up other educational satellite initiatives in India, such as the e-CLASS program.
Living its EDUSAT full form name, this “Educational Satellite” has helped in creating history in the field of space technology. It also helped India in gaining educational independence and paved the way for further educational developments.
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