'Sun outage' may disrupt satellite TV broadcasts for eight days

Television broadcasts of local and foreign channels relying on Bangladesh Satellite-1 could be disrupted for a total of 81 minutes between September 29 and October 6 due to a natural space phenomenon known as sun outage.

A sun outage occurs twice a year when the sun, the satellite, and earth stations align in a straight line, causing the sun's radiation to interfere with satellite signals and temporarily interrupt services.

The possible interruptions will take place daily for a few minutes, according to a press release issued by Bangladesh Satellite Company Limited (BSCL) today.

On September 29, the disruption may last three minutes between 9:35 am and 9:38 am. On September 30, it may last nine minutes between 9:32 am and 9:41 am. 

On October 1, the outage is expected to continue for 12 minutes between 9:30 am and 9:42 am. On October 2 and 3, the disruption may extend 13 minutes between 9:29 am and 9:42 am. 

On October 4, the interruption is expected to last 12 minutes between 9:29 am and 9:41 am. On October 5, it may continue for 11 minutes between 9:29 am and 9:40 am. 

On the final day, October 6, the disruption may last eight minutes between 9:30 am and 9:38 am.

Bangladesh's first communication satellite was launched in May 2018 at a cost of over Tk 2,765 crore.

The BSCL currently provides broadcasting services to 41 local and 14 international channels.