The Hindu Business Line : Arianespace to strengthen ISRO deal

Arianespace, the world leader in the satellite launch business is optimistic of offering more flexibility to the growing market with Indian launch vehicles.

Dr Jean-Yves Le Gall, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the European major, said Arianespace’s agreement with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), gives it the advantage of placing smaller satellites into orbit at competitive costs.

Launch vehicles

The polar satellite launch vehicle (PSLV) and the seosynchronous satellite launch vehicle (GSLV) of the ISRO can offer the choice of small (under one tonnes) to medium (over 2.5 tonnes) satellite launches in different orbits.

Dr Jean-Yves Le Gall said Arianespace has signed a contract with ISRO to launch the Insat 4G satellite from French Guyana during 2008/2009. Since 1981, Arianespace has placed 13 Indian satellites into orbit, he told a business conclave, being held as part of the 58th International Astronautical Congress, here on Tuesday.

In his presentation, the Arianespace Chief said Insat 4G was one of the 12 new satellite launches signed for Ariane-5 launcher (which can place multiple satellites weighing up to nine tonnes into geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO)).

He said Arianespace has also won a contract from Globalstar 2 constellation (24 small satellites). It has scheduled five flights by the end of 2007 and has an order book of nearly 50 satellites to be placed in different orbits.

Launch services

The new area that the company is venturing into is small satellites for earth observation through its launch vehicle Light Vega. The launch engine can place satellites of 1.5 tonnes in the low earth orbit (LEO), he added.

Mr Lawrence Williams, Vice-President (international and Government affairs), SpaceX of the US said lowering the costs of launch services was the key to growing the market in the near future. The emerging commercial market is price sensitive compared to the institutional or government one.

In his presentation, Mr Williams said his company was developing a family of low-cost launch vehicles — Falcon 1, Falcon 9 and Dragon. Plans were on to transition to human transportation once the technology was proven.

While the costs for placing a satellite in the LEO orbit was $7 million, in GTO, it was $35 million at present offered by SpaceX.

The company has two launch pads in the US, he added.

Mr Liam Weston from Ball Aerospace felt politics should be removed from commercial business opportunities in the launch services.

This was more true when more than two countries were involved.

More Stories on : Alliances & Joint Ventures | Science & Technology

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page