India is on the cusp of a satellite-driven digital or broadband revolution, similar to DTH or direct-to-home broadcasting of the 2000s, with a plan to deploy five high-throughput communication spacecraft starting this year, according to a space scientist heading the project at Indian Space Research Organisation.

These HTSs have been game-changers in the West, providing Internet connectivity many times faster, smoother, easier and probably cheaper than now. Two of the Gen-5 spacecraft are approved and getting ready; the others are said to be at various stages of consideration.

The first of them, GSAT-19, is slated for launch from India in December. It will showcase the country’s technology capability in the new area of spectrum efficiency that is trending across the globe, said P.K. Gupta, Project Director for this and GSAT-11.

“We are also considering GSAT-20 besides two next generation spacecraft HTS-1 and HTS-2 of very high capacity of 100 gbps each, which will cover the country’s total land mass,” he said.

ISRO will also test new technologies with its HTSs, such as the new flexible ‘bus’ or satellite assembly platform, electric propulsion, Ka band, lithium ion batteries, among others.

HTS reuses satellite ‘beams’ several times over smaller areas.

It will drive a next generation technology revolution. Individuals, planners in government, businesses like banks, ATMs, reservation systems, cellular and private networks and users in remote areas are expected to benefit from improved connectivity.

The West adopted the technology a few years ago With a large number of users and multiple service providers, the cost of connectivity can become affordable as in the West, he said.