The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is counting down to the launch of a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) that will begin a new era for the agency, according to ISRO Chairman G. Madhavan Nair.

The April 23 mission from Satish Dhawan Space Center will place the Agile scientific spacecraft into orbit for the Italian Space Agency, the first time an Indian rocket has had a non-Indian satellite as its primary payload. The spacecraft, which also is supported by the Italian Institute of Astrophysics and the Italian Institute of Nuclear Physics, is devoted to gamma-ray astrophysics.

"ISRO has so far launched six foreign satellites but only as piggyback payload," said Nair. "… The success of the mission will set a new benchmark for PSLV for dedicated commercial missions." Nair hopes a successful launch will lead to further international business. "We expect at least one more contract to be concluded this year for launching a payload by PSLV," he said.

But ISRO faces an uphill fight to make a large impact on the highly competitive international launch. "ISRO has been offering launch capacity for international commercial payloads after meeting India’s own internal requirements," said Nair. "Although competition is intense in the launch vehicle service market there are several customers who see a gap for timely, cost effective and reliable launch opportunities. ISRO’s track record in this regard has been compelling in terms of reliability and cost competitiveness."

In terms of ISRO’s revenue prospects in this market, Nair said, "PSLV and GSLV (Geostationary Satellite Launch Vehicle) are not evolved as commercial systems. They are only trying to fill the gaps in the market by optimizing the capacity for commercial payloads. As such, we expect one or two launches for commercial payloads every year in the foreseeable future. The revenues for these launch services will be more or less on the same lines as prevailing in the international launch service market."

ISRO’s place in the international launch market will be enhanced once the agency completes the development of its next-generation GSLV, Nair said. "ISRO will be focusing on completing the development of GSLV-Mk, which can launch up to four-ton satellites into geosynchronous transfer orbit," he said. "ISRO’s vision is to reduce the cost of access to space by improving technology and reusability. There is also considerable scope for international cooperation, given the goals set for space exploration and such other new initiatives, which contribute to the welfare of the planet."

Nair believes the agency’s presence in the market will be good for space agencies and companies seeking access to space and believes ISRO can perform strongly throughout the next two years. "The global launch services market is pulled by diverse forces such as commercialization and strong government intervention," he said. "The next two years will hopefully see the emergence of greater choice for customers and also lower launch costs."

— Mark Holmes