The Satellite Instructional TV experiment of 1975-76 used on American satellite, ATS-6, lent by NASA for one year.
India developed its own satellites in later years and INSAT-1A launched in April 1982 provided Doordarshan with transponders for networking and to continue the SITE objective of rural development with area specific programmes and satellite based enricment programmes for school children.
Networking for the Regional segmet for realay by all the terrestrial transmitters was started in 1986. In 1993 Doordarshan started additional channels to provide more programme options in the satellite mode. The earlier INSAT satellites had footprints over India only and the International channel started in 1995 had to use transponders on PAS-4 and PAS-1. The recent series of INSAT satellites have some transponders with extended foot prints. Doordarshan has its own up-linking facilities in a number of cities in the country.