The Insat-1C satellite was launched on 21 July 1988 from Kourou for location at 93.5°E to bring the Insat system up to full capacity.The INSAT-1C also had a data channel for relaying meteorological, hydrological, and oceanographic data from unattended land-based or ocean-based data collection and transmission platforms.
The designed to provide combined telecommunications, direct TV broadcast, and meteorological service to India's civilian community over a 7-year-in-orbit life span. The telecommunications package provided two-way, long-distance telephone circuits and direct radio and TV broadcasting to the remotest areas of India.
The INSAT-1C was the third spacecraft in the first generation Indian National Satellite system.
Half of the 12 C-band transponders and its two S-band transponders were lost when a power system failure knocked out one of the two buses, but the meteorological earth images and its data collection systems were both fully operational. Earth lock was lost 22 November 1989 and the satellite was abandoned. Reported insurance payout was $70 million.