The first multipurpose INSAT satellite built by India itself, launched in July 1992 for communication, weather watching and search-and-rescue.
No longer operational, according to the public satellite catalogue.
INSAT-2A was the first multipurpose satellite built by India. It handled communication, weather observation and satellite-based search and rescue, and started working in August 1992.
It carried 12 C-band and 6 extended C-band transponders for fixed communication services, 2 S-band transponders for broadcasting, a transponder to relay weather data and one for search and rescue. A Very High Resolution Radiometer (VHRR) watched the weather, seeing details of 2 km in visible light and 8 km in infrared.
INSAT-2A weighed 1,906 kg with propellant and 916 kg dry. Its power was about 1 kW. It was three-axis stabilised using two momentum wheels, a reaction wheel and magnetic torquers. A two-propellant system (MMH and N2O4) fed sixteen 22 N thrusters and a 440 N liquid apogee motor.
An Ariane 4 rocket launched INSAT-2A from Kourou, French Guiana, in July 1992. It worked from geostationary orbit at 74° E, with a design life of seven years.