By Venkatachari Jagannathan, IANS,
Chennai : The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is gearing up to play a major role in satellite manufacturing.
“We are targeting a revenue of around $60 million from manufacturing satellites for others,” K.R. Sridhara Murthi, executive director of Antrix Corp Ltd, the commercial arm of the Indian space agency, told IANS.
At present, nearly 60 percent of its Rs.9.4-billion turnover is derived from transponder rentals (211 transponders), while the balance is from selling remote sensing data, ground station services, satellite launches and exports of satellite components and other products.
The ISRO is building a 32 transponder satellite, W2M, weighing 3,200 kg, for the Paris-based Eutelsat Communications.
The order is from Europe’s leading satellite system specialist EADS Astrium. Murthi said the transponders supplied by a European manufacturer were being assembled at ISRO’s satellite centre in Bangalore.
Apart from building the satellite bus and integrating the transponders, ISRO will also test the spacecraft.
The ISRO has won another contract from Avanti Screen Media, again through EADS Astrium, to make a highly adoptable satellite.
India last month signed an agreement with France for joint research and development activities, instrumentation for satellites and development of small satellites.
In satellite manufacturing, the ISRO has to compete with giants like Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Mitsubishi, Thales Alenia and others.