ISRO's NSIL to launch communication satellite on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket
New Delhi, Jan 3: In a first, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) will launch a 4.7 tonne communications satellite onboard SpaceX's Falcon-9 rocket in the second quarter of this year, NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) announced on Wednesday.
The GSAT-20 communications satellite is aimed at meeting the country's broadband, in-flight and maritime communications (IFMC) and cellular backhaul services needs, the NSIL said.
The GSAT-20, which will be renamed as GSAT-N2, will have Ka-Ka band high throughput satellite (HTS) capacity with 32 beams having pan-India coverage, including Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep.
"Bulk of the HTS capacity on-board GSAT-20 satellite has already been secured by Indian service providers," the NSIL said, without specifying the buyer.
ISRO's heavy satellite launch rocket GSLV-Mk3 is capable of putting into orbit 4,000 kg payloads in Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO), forcing the space agency to seek the launch services of Falcon 9 rocket from the SpaceX stable.
"NSIL is realising GSAT-20 satellite through ISRO and will be launched on-board Falcon-9 under a launch service contract between M/s NSIL and M/s SpaceX, USA," the NSIL said in a statement.
SpaceX's Falcon-9 is capable of placing 8,300 kg payloads into GTO.
Till now, ISRO has been using the services of French company Arianespace for launching heavier satellites.
ISRO is now developing the Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV) which will have the capability to put a 10,000 kg payload in GTO.
"GSAT-20 weighing 4,700 kg offers HTS capacity of nearly 48 gpbs. The satellite has been specifically designed to meet the demanding service needs of remote/unconnected regions," the NSIL said.
As part of space sector reforms announced by the government in June 2020, NSIL was mandated to build, launch, own and operate satellites in "demand-driven mode" for meeting service needs of the user.
As part of this, NSIL successfully undertook its first demand-driven satellite mission GSAT-24 in June 2022, in which the capacity onboard the satellite was fully secured by M/s TataPlay.
GSAT-24 mission was fully funded by NSIL. Presently, NSIL owns and operates 11 communication satellites in orbit.
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ED arrests Sandeepa Virk, 'cosmetologist' for alleged money laundering
New Delhi, Aug 13 (PTI): The Enforcement Directorate said on Wednesday it has arrested a woman, who claims to be an actor and a cosmetologist, under the anti-money laundering law in a case of alleged fraud and misrepresentation.
The agency said the purported links of the woman, Sandeepa Virk, with a Reliance Group executive, Angarai Natarajan Sethuraman (President, Corporate Affairs), are also under its scanner. Sethuraman, in a statement, denied any connection with Virk or any transactions related to her.
Virk was taken into custody under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on Tuesday after searches were conducted against her and her associates in Delhi and Mumbai over the last two days.
A special court sent her to the ED's custody till August 14, the agency said. The woman claims to be the owner of a skin care products selling website named hyboocare.com, which the ED claimed was a "front" for money laundering.
She and her associates are being probed for allegedly exerting undue influence through "misrepresentation" and "defrauding" individuals by soliciting money under false pretences.
According to an Instagram ID of Virk, she is an actor and entrepreneur and the founder of the said website.
The federal agency said in a statement that the woman was also "in touch with" Sethuraman, former director of erstwhile Reliance Capital Limited.
She was communicating with him regarding "illegal liaisoning", the ED claimed, adding that the searches at Sethuraman's residence "confirmed" these allegations.
"Besides, diversion of funds for personal benefit has also been unearthed during the course of the search action," it said.
The ED alleged that public money worth about Rs 18 crore belonging to Reliance Commercial Finance Limited (RCFL) was disbursed to Sethuraman in 2018 by "flouting" prudent lending norms.
The funds were lent under terms that allowed a deferment of the principal amount as well as the interest, with multiple waivers granted and no due diligence conducted, it said.
The ED claimed that besides this, a home loan of Rs 22 crore was provided by Reliance Capital Limited by "violating" the prudential norms. "A large part of these loans are seen to have been eventually siphoned off and remained unpaid," it alleged.
Sethuraman, in a statement, dismissed the allegations as "baseless". He denied any connection with Virk or any transactions related to her.
Detailing about Virk's web portal, the agency said it purportedly sold FDA-approved beauty products. However, the ED said the products listed on the website have been found to be non-existent and the portal lacks a user registration option and is plagued by persistent payment gateway issues.
A scrutiny of the website uncovered minimal social-media engagement, an inactive WhatsApp contact number and an absence of transparent organisational details, all of which reinforce the finding of "non-genuine" commercial activity, the ED claimed.
"These factors, including limited product range, inflated pricing, false claims of FDA approval and technical inconsistencies, indicate that the website serves as a front for laundering funds," it said.
Another social media-hosted bio data of the woman said she is a certified cosmetologist.
The ED said several "incriminating" documents were seized during the searches and the statement of a man named Farrukh Ali, stated to be an associate of Virk, was recorded.
The money-laundering case stems from an FIR lodged by the Punjab Police.
Sethuraman said that the home loan he received from Reliance Capital was granted following due process and was secured by the property offered as collateral.
