Isro loses contact with GSAT-6A, India’s newest communication satellite

Agencies
April 1, 2018

Bengaluru, Mar 4: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) confirmed on Sunday afternoon that communication with GSAT-6A, the country's newest communication satellite, was lost after the second firing of the on-board engine, which was performed on Saturday.

“Efforts are under way to establish the link with the satellite," a statement from the space agency said.

News started creeping around forenoon on Saturday that a power glitch showed up while engineers were doing the satellite's second orbit manoeuvre from the Master Control Facility (MCF) in Hassan. It seems that the GSAT-6A was not sending back signals. The top brass, including Chairman K. Sivan, ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC) and MCF officials went into a huddle at the ISRO headquarters and later at the MCF.

One person familiar with satellite technologies said spacecraft have redundancies or backups; the MCF worked on it overnight on Saturday.

The 2,000 kg-plus GSAT-6A was launched on the indigenous GSLV rocket on March 29 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. It was placed in an initial elliptical orbit 169.4 km x 36,692 km.

The MCF picked up its control within minutes. From March 30, it started routinely correcting the orbit into a circular one — a critical but frequently done exercise that lasts for about a week to ten days.

After the first on-board motor firing for about 36 minutes on Friday morning, the ISRO announced that the satellite's orbit became 36,412 km X 5,054 km with an inclination of 11.93 degrees to the Equator; it was circling the Earth almost every 13 hours.

Built to last ten years in space, GSAT-6A came with a technology that combines a large unfurlable S-band antenna in space and small, hand-held ground terminals highly suited for the military in remote area operations. It was expected to join its three-year-old sibling, GSAT-6, in the next few weeks.

On August 31 last year, the ISRO lost navigation satellite IRNSS-1H in a freak manner.

One of its biggest losses in communication fleet was the INSAT-2D, which died in its orbit in October 1997, just four months into work.

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News Network
December 5,2025

Mangaluru: In a significant step to curb online hate and intimidation, Mangaluru City Police have registered a suo motu case against multiple Instagram accounts accused of circulating alleged provocative and threatening content.

While monitoring social media activity on Tuesday, Kankanady Town PSI Anitha Nikkam identified the Instagram handle ‘team_targetttt_900’ for posting a hate message alongside images of lethal weapons. Another account, ‘team_nagara_900’, allegedly shared a threatening post targeting activist Bharath Kumdelu, tagging additional pages such as KARAVALI-OFFICIAL.

Several other accounts — including ‘immu_bhai.fan’, ‘target_boy_900’, ‘kings_of_manglore’, ‘team_target_boys.900’, ‘arshad_mangalore’, ‘target_ka19_ullal’, ‘team_target__’, ‘troll_tigersz_900’, ‘tr_group_900’, and ‘team_target_900’ — are also under scrutiny for spreading similar inflammatory material, police said.

Authorities have urged citizens, especially young social media users, to report suspicious pages and avoid engaging with groups that glorify violence or threaten individuals. Online hate can quickly escalate into real-world harm, and police stress that sharing or promoting such content can attract legal consequences.

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News Network
December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Air India Express has announced that it will resume direct flight services between Mangaluru and Muscat from March 2026, restoring an important international air link for passengers from the coastal region.

Airport authorities said the service will operate twice a week—on Sundays and Tuesdays—from March 1. The initial flights are scheduled on March 3, 8 and 10, followed by March 15 and 17, with the same operating pattern to continue thereafter. The flight duration is approximately three hours and 25 minutes.

The Mangaluru–Muscat route was earlier operated under the 2025 summer schedule, with services beginning on July 14. At that time, Air India Express had operated four flights a week before suspending the service.

Officials said the summer schedule will come into effect from March 29, after which changes in flight timings and departure schedules from Mangaluru are expected. Passengers have been advised to check the latest schedules while planning their travel.

The resumption of direct flights to Muscat is expected to significantly benefit expatriates, business travellers and others, further strengthening Mangaluru’s air connectivity with the Gulf region.

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News Network
December 16,2025

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Melkar (Bantwal): The 9th Annual Day celebration of SMR Public School, titled “EXCELLENTIA”, was held on December 15 with great enthusiasm and dignity, marking a significant milestone in the institution’s journey towards academic excellence and holistic development.

The programme was inaugurated by Dr. U. T. Iftikar Ali. The chief guests were Dr. Akhtar Hussain, Mr. P. Moosabba Beary, Mr. Zakaria Jokattre, and Dr. T. M. Abdul Rahuf—whose inspiring addresses motivated the students and appreciated the school’s contributions to education.

Mr. Abdul Nasir, Mr. Ibrahim Gadiyar, Mr. Razak Golthamajal, Mr. Sali Koya, Mr. Arshad Hussain, Mr. Ismail Balanoor, Mr. Feroz Bawa, Mr. Sahul Hameed, Mr. Abubakkar, Mr. Hameed K. Mani, Mr. Abdul Majeed (Principal, Melkar Women’s College), and Mr. Abdul Lathief (Former Principal, Melkar Women’s College) were the guests of honour.

The Annual Report was presented by the Headmistress, Ms. Fathimathul Zaheera, highlighting the school’s achievements and progress during the academic year. The Presidential Address was delivered by the Chairman of SMR Public School, Dr. Haji S. M. Rasheed, who emphasised the vital role of education in shaping students’ futures and stressed the importance of discipline, dedication, and consistent effort in achieving 100 per cent academic results.

Secretary of SMR Public School, Mr. Rifath Ahmed, and PTA President, Mr. Sandeep Kumar, were also present on the occasion.

The Annual Day celebration showcased the collective efforts of students and teachers and reaffirmed the school’s commitment to quality education and all-round development. The programme concluded with a vote of thanks, expressing gratitude to all dignitaries, parents, and well-wishers for their support. The 9th Annual Day—EXCELLENTIA—was a memorable and successful event, leaving a lasting impression on everyone present. 

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