| |
| Article |
| |
|
India stakes claim for a slice
of the launch cake |
|
T Kalyan
Asst Editor,
Geospatial Today |
| |
|
PSLV,
the
workhorse
launch
vehicle
of the
Indian
space
research
organisation
(ISRO),
leapt
into
the
bright
sky
on April
23 from
the
Satish
Dhawan
Space
Centre,
Sriharikota,
announcing
the
arrival
of the
Indian
space
agency
into
the
commercial
launch
services
market,
loud
and
clear.
The
PSLV
C-8,
as it
was
christened
on its
11th
flight,
placed
the
352-kg
Italian
astronomical
satellite,
Agile,
and
ISRO’s
own
advanced
avionics
module
into
their
respective
orbits
in its
first
ever
full-fledged
commercial
launch.
|
|
|
|
The Agile is an X-ray and
Gamma ray astronomical satellite,
intended to probe the mysteries
of the universe, while the
module is more like a second
equipment bay installed inside
the launch vehicle to test
launch vehicle avionics systems
like mission computer and
navigation.
"It is a historic moment,"
said an elated G Madhavan
Nair, chairman, ISRO, after
the successful launch. “We
have again proved the reliability
of the PSLV. This is an important
event in the commercial satellite
launch field,” he added.
It is indeed an important
event in this field. Currently,
there are just a handful of
players ---The US, France,
Russia, China and Japan---that
share the over $ 2 billion
dollar market. Antrix Corporation,
ISRO’s commercial arm,
had bagged the $ 11 million
Italian contract against stiff
competition. Says K R Sridhara
Murthy, Executive Director,
Antrix, “This is just
a beginning. We have only
started. Our workhorse launch
vehicle, the PSLV, is highly
reliable. One needs only to
look at its continued success
to be convinced of its versatile
performance. But there is
still a long way to go.”
PSLV, the pride of possession
of ISRO, has an extraordinary
record. The latest is its
ninth successive and successful
flight. Notwithstanding the
obvious technological capability,
the Agile launch contract
has been a long journey. It
was in 2003 that the managing
director of Carlogavazzi Space,
Italy, Dr Lanfranco Zucconi
came to India to witness the
launch of the PSLV C -5 while
scouting for a reliable launcher
for the Agile. Subsequently,
the launch service was arranged
by Cosmos International, Germany
through Antrix Corporation.
|
|
|
|
