Very Small Aperture Terminal

Context:

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is planning to collaborate with ISRO to deploy V-SAT stations on a pilot basis for around 80 tribal villages.

Relevance:

GS II: Government Policies and Interventions

Dimensions of the Article:

1. Key Highlights
2. Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT)
3. Advantages/Disadvantages of VSAT

Key Highlights:

• The Union Ministry for Tribal Affairs (MoTA) unveils transformative partnerships for tribal development.
• Collaborations established with premier institutions including ISRO, IISc Bengaluru, AIIMS Delhi, IIM Calcutta, and IIT Delhi.
• Focus on addressing connectivity challenges in around 18,000 remote tribal villages through a gap analysis.
• Limited mobile and internet accessibility in these areas impedes access to basic services.
• Partnership with ISRO targets the deployment of satellite-based V-SAT solutions.
  • V-SAT stations, whether static or mounted on vehicles, aim to overcome connectivity challenges.
• MoTA and ISRO collaboratively launch V-SAT stations on a pilot basis in 80 villages across Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Maharashtra.
• The stations will provide Wi-Fi with a capacity of 100 Mbps, expandable to another 100 Mbps with boosters.
• The initiative seeks to enhance connectivity and provide access to essential services for tribal communities.
• The success of the pilot project may lead to scaling up in other similar tribal villages, contributing to e-governance in remote areas.

Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT)

• A VSAT is a two-way ground station facilitating data transmission to and from satellites.
• It is compact, standing at less than three meters, and supports both narrow and broadband data in real-time.

Functionality:

• VSAT networks find diverse commercial applications, notably in Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP).
  • Walmart, for instance, uses VSAT to track inventory, enhancing real-time inventory management and reducing delivery costs.
  • The hub system, combined with VSAT, enables precise stocking, minimizing product movements between locations.

Applications in Manufacturing:

• Manufacturers utilize VSAT for relaying orders, monitoring real-time production figures, and other functions usually handled over wired networks.

National Stock Exchange (NSE) Connectivity:

• NSE in India boasts one of the world’s largest VSAT networks, offering connectivity options.
• VSAT enables access in areas where wired options are limited, expanding the exchange’s reach.

Reliability of VSAT Network:

• Despite occasional sun outages caused by solar radiation, the VSAT network, including the NSE’s extensive network, has demonstrated reliability.

Significance:

VSAT plays a crucial role in facilitating efficient data communication, especially in sectors such as retail, manufacturing, and financial exchanges.

Advantages/Disadvantages of VSAT

Advantages:

• Ease of Deployment:
  • VSAT networks excel in deployment efficiency due to reduced infrastructure requirements for servicing remote locations through satellite communication.
• Connectivity for Remote Work Sites:
  • Ideal for remote work sites like exploratory drilling locations, facilitating the relay of critical data such as daily drill logs to central headquarters.
• Independence from Local Telecom Networks:
  • VSAT operates independently of local telecommunications networks, serving as a robust backup system for wired networks and mitigating business recovery risks.
• Network Redundancy:
  • In case of wired network failures, businesses can seamlessly continue operations using the VSAT network, providing essential network redundancy.

Disadvantages:

• Latency Challenges:
  • VSAT encounters latency issues as information takes time to travel between the ground station and the satellite in geosynchronous orbit, affecting real-time communication.
• Limitations in Two-Way Communication Protocols:
  • Protocols requiring frequent two-way communication face challenges with VSAT due to latency, which is more pronounced compared to one-way data transfer.
• Weather-Dependent Signal Quality:
  • The quality of the VSAT signal can be adversely affected by weather conditions, introducing variability and potential disruptions.
• Obstruction Impact:
  • Obstructions such as buildings can interfere with the VSAT signal, posing challenges to signal integrity and requiring careful consideration of placement.

-Source: The Hindu