The Hindu : AAI, ISRO sign MoU

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Nov 29, 2002

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AAI, ISRO sign MoU

By T. S. Shankar

CHENNAI NOV. 28. The Airports Authority of India has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Indian Satellite Research Organisation (ISRO) for augmenting satellite-based aeronautical services for criss-crossing jetliners.

"We have signed a Rs. 80-crore MoU with ISRO that would provide for technology demonstration system as a joint venture initiative with the AAI", K. Ramalingam, Member (Planning and Engineering), AAI, New Delhi, said.

Called "Gagan," the project would pave the way for replacing the existing ground-based systems to satellite-based communication, navigation and surveillance systems.

"The AAI has planned a complete network of V-SAT using one of our satellites. There will be a transponder which will be specially assigned to the AAI that would facilitate the enhancing of the aeronautical services," Mr. Ramalingam, who also holds the charge as officiating member (Operations) of AAI and is a member of the ISRO Project Monitoring Council, said.

During a recent visit to Chennai, he told The Hindu that the total cost of the AAI-ISRO joint venture initiative would be Rs.400 crores after implementation of the first and final operational phases of the Gagan project.

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