The Hindu Business Line : More business coming PSLV way

ISRO will be handling at least two commercial satellite launches, if not four, in the next one year on the tested PSLV vehicle, according to a senior official.

Among the orders clinched is NLS-4, which is most likely to be flown by the end of 2007. NLS-4 is a cluster of six nanosats for the Toronto University - coordinated mission. The nanosats weigh from 1 kg to 5 kg and are being put up by six universities, according to Mr K.R. Sreedhara Murthi, Executive Director of ISRO's marketing arm, Antrix Corporation. He did not reveal the revenue they would fetch.

Meanwhile, Antrix is closing in on "a couple of other launch contracts," Mr Murthi told Business Line.

It also expects to see off two commitments clinched earlier. These are the first full-scale launch of the Italian-built 600-kg Agile before March 31 this year; and the Singapore University's XSAT which is being fine-tuned at the ISRO Satellite Centre.

All the smaller missions except Agile will be piggyback passengers with larger satellites and ride on spare capacity on the rocket.

Lucrative, but risky

For a space agency, the launcher business is the most lucrative, as also risky. ISRO's well-ensconced competitors such as Arianespace or US operators charge $10,000-12,000 per kg of satellite or go up to even $20,000 depending on the weight and height of the orbit. A polar launch such as Wednesday's should also cost more.

Commercial satellite launches have been slow to come by, although ISRO entered the space transportation business with the polar launcher, the PSLV, in May 1999. All the six commercial launches to its credit are small. The biggest were three in the 100-kg class.

On Wednesday, it added two small satellites to the business tally - the 56-kg LAPAN-TUBSAT and the 6-kg Argentine nano Pehuensat. It also struck a joint marketing deal with European launcher major, Arianespace, to break into the launching club.

"Serious and real launch opportunities will open up when we get the GSLV-Mk3 ready," Mr Murthi said. "It would be ideal to have full launches; multiple launches need coordination with as many customers for schedules and spacecraft. However, small ones cannot be ignored as they are important in building brand value and relationship with customers."

Mk3 is the ambitious project that will double the lift-off capacity of the 2-tonne GSLV, the geosynchronous or higher and equatorial orbit launch vehicle. And the GSLV, proven four times and failed once so far, is still to fly an operational Insat.

To take up bigger satellites also means overcoming geopolitical barriers. Satellites having US parts - even if they are not US-built - will need to clear the US export clearance.

Antrix's Rs 414-crore turnover for 2005-06 is growing at 15-20 per cent but the driver has been transponder lease.

PSLV, the best bet?

Has the indigenous PSLV now emerged the best bet internationally to carry small, auxiliary satellites? ISRO would like to say so.

The low production cost of the workshorse is nearly half the international cost as it is almost import-free. The PSLV can take up a 1,500-kg satellite for the cost that others may charge for 850-kg lifts, according to Mr P.S. Shastri, Director, Launch Vehicle Programme Office.

Launching small satellites may not be lucrative but internationally, the satellite size is coming down, from one-tonne to 100-400 kg. The 100-200 class satellites are picking up, he told Business Line.

And for the small satellites, there are not too many carrier options on Earth: the Russian rockets are heavy, outdated and are converted from missiles. The bigger ones like Arianespace do not handle this class any more.

"The PSLV could be the best bet because of its precise slotting in orbit and efficiency. Today, it did not use the additional propulsion (kept onboard for contingency) and hence, the satellite life can extend by two years. It is versatile and can be used for low-earth, geotransfer and polar launches. This is the vehicle for our Chandrayaan-1 (lunar) mission, too," he said.