Space programme goes commercial

SRIHARIKOTA, MAY 23: With its first multi-satellite mission waiting on the wings of fire, India has initiated commercialisation of its Sp...

SRIHARIKOTA, MAY 23: With its first multi-satellite mission waiting on the wings of fire, India has initiated commercialisation of its Space Programme.

While the PSLV-C2, which takes off from the SHAR Centre on May 26, will be carrying two auxiliary payloads 8212; the Korean Kitsat and German Tubsat 8212; the Antrix Corporation of the Department of Space has inked an agreement with Verhaert Design and Development, Belgium, for launching a small satellite, Proba, in one of the follow-on flights of PSLV. Antrix has entered into an agreement also with Arianespace, France, to evolve a common interface. 8220;Yes, we are looking for customers,8221; said ISRO chairman Dr K Kasturirangan, when asked about plans of commercialising the service of PSLV. The vehicle is offered for launching satellites of other agencies either as auxiliary payloads or main payloads, depending on the capacity and needs of the customers. 8220;A number of countries have shown interest in using PSLV for launching their satellites,8221; Dr Kasturirangan said,without giving the details.

The additional launch pad being set up at a cost of Rs 250 crore will give an increased thrust to the commercialisation. 8220;The new launch pad, coming up 1.5 km away from the existing one in the SHAR centre will be unique in many ways, once it becomes operational by mid-2002. It will be one of its kind in the world, enabling us to launch PSLVs, GSLVs and future versions,8221; SHAR Centre director Dr S Vasantha told The Indian Express. The launch pad will even look different and will have high adaptability, he added, 8220;to launch even those vehicles we do not have8221;.

The additional pad will also help increase the number of launches per year. Lined up for launch now are Insat 3A and Insat 3B and the first GSLV. While the Insat 3B will be launched in the third or fourth quarter of this year, the GSLV launch will be either this year-end or the beginning of next year. And Cartosat-I is likely to be put in orbit by the end of 2000 or early 2001, says Dr Kasturirangan.

As for themain reason why other countries are approaching India for launching their satellites, Dr Kasturirangan was clear: 8220;Our launch vehicles offer 30 per cent to 40 per cent savings over cost. While the existing market rates for launching a microsat is around a million dollars, we have offered a promotional rate for Kitsat and Tubsat,8221; he replied to a query.