Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the South Asia satellite would be launched by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) on Friday as a priceless gift to the neighbouring nations. In his address in the monthly 'Mann Ki Baat' programme in All India Radio, Mr. Modi made this announcement.<br/><br/>In the South Asia Satellite project, seven of the eight SAARC countries are participating, with the exception being Pakistan that declined to join it.<br/><br/>It was originally intended to be the SAARC satellite, but with Pakistan not joining the project, it took the avatar as South Asia satellite. Built at a cost of 235 crore rupees by ISRO, it will be having 12 Ku-band transponders for telecommunication and broadcasting applications by the neighbouring nations. Telemedicine, tele-education and disaster relief operations are some of its other uses. <br/><br/>Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made an announcement about the satellite in the SAARC Summit held in Kathmandu in November 2014, that has taken its final shape now with the scheduled launch on Friday on board the launch vehicle GSLV from the space port at Sriharikotta.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the South Asia satellite would be launched by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) on Friday as a priceless gift to the neighbouring nations. In his address in the monthly 'Mann Ki Baat' programme in All India Radio, Mr. Modi made this announcement.<br/><br/>In the South Asia Satellite project, seven of the eight SAARC countries are participating, with the exception being Pakistan that declined to join it.<br/><br/>It was originally intended to be the SAARC satellite, but with Pakistan not joining the project, it took the avatar as South Asia satellite. Built at a cost of 235 crore rupees by ISRO, it will be having 12 Ku-band transponders for telecommunication and broadcasting applications by the neighbouring nations. Telemedicine, tele-education and disaster relief operations are some of its other uses. <br/><br/>Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made an announcement about the satellite in the SAARC Summit held in Kathmandu in November 2014, that has taken its final shape now with the scheduled launch on Friday on board the launch vehicle GSLV from the space port at Sriharikotta.