Hyderabad: Indian Space Research Organisation’s space commerce has never looked better with international customers lining up for launching their satellites including the SPOT-7, a French satellite that will fetch Rs 120 crore at one go.
So far, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle has launched 35 satellites for international customers and has established ISRO as a major player in the satellite launching business.
Commercial launch contracts have also been signed with Canada, Germany and Indonesia.
According to ISRO, discussions are also on with many prospective customers for satellite launches.
The organisation’s commercial body, Antrix Corporation Limited, with a turnover of Rs 200 crore per annum, deals with space commerce.
The turnover includes Rs 800 crore from leasing transponders to TV channels and VSAT networks, Rs 200 crore from the sale of remote sensing pictures and the rest from the satellite launches using PSLV.
Sources in Antrix Corporation said that the SPOT-7 Image satellite of France, which will be launched soon, will fetch around Rs 120 crore.
Apart from the French satellite, an 800-kg satellite from Germany and three satellites from the UK, each weighing 200 kg, are in the line up.
ISRO has launched three big satellites and around 35 smaller satellites of 100 kg to 200 kg weight on commercial basis. In September 2012, ISRO had launched the French satellite SPOT-6 and the Japanese satellite PROTIERS.
With a lift mass of 712 kg, SPOT-6 was the heaviest satellite ever launched by PSLV.
On February 25, 2013, the PSLV, in its 23rd flight, successfully launched six foreign satellites into orbit along with the Indo-French satellite SARAL.
