Bangalore, Oct 6: Scientists at the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) are busy finding out the causes that lead to the Insat-2D debacle."Insat-2D has been written-off by us. There is no hope of its revival," an Isro official told The Financial Express.

Scientists are trying to detect the reasons for the anomaly in the satellite, the official reiterated. "We are equally surprised with the way in which the failure occured. It was not foreseen by us," he said. It will take some time for the scientists to detect the cause of failure, the official added.

The Rs 150-crore satellite has fortunately been insured with The New India Assurance Company Ltd. Isro officials refused to divulge the insurance amount for the satellite, but said Insat-2D was insured alongwith other satellites.

"The satellites are generally insured in groups. Their insurance is quite complex as it is performance related. Hence, at this stage it is difficult to ascertain the exact amount Isro expects to receive from Insat 2D's insurance," the official said.

The 2,070-Kg satellite was launched in June at a cost of Rs 250 crore. It was providing communication links to the National Stock Exchange and Calcutta Stock Exchange among others.

The communication links were provided via seven transponders of the available 23 on Insat-2D. The affected service providers have been alloted space on other satellites including Insat-2A, Insat-2B and Insat-2C. Isro officials while denying that Insat-2A was wobbling as reported in a section of the press, confirmed that there was an inclination in the orbit of the satellite.

An emergency meeting of the Insat co-ordinating committee was called in Delhi on Monday to plan the future course of action following the satellite's abandonment.

According to Isro officials, the committee will appraise the minister for science and technology and the cabinet secretary of the present depleted transponder position and suggest alternate remedies.

The committee is represented by the secretaries of the department of telecommunication, department of science and technology and the ministries of information & broadcasting and finance.

The service providers will also be briefed by the Isro team about the steps being taken by the space organisation in handling the present situation, officials added. Isro is pinning its hopes on distributing space to potential service operators on Insat-2E, which is proposed to be launched in June next year.

Insat-2D was abandoned following a power failure. A short circuit in the power system of the satellite had occured on October 1, forcing the scientists to abandon the satellite after the earth lock was lost. It lost its earth lock the second time late Saturday night due to problems caused by the short circuit in one of the `power buses'.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.