Expanding Footprints of India�s Commercial Launch Service

The June 30, 2014 successful mission of the Indian space workhorse, PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle), which was witnessed by the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, marked a significant milestone in the endeavour to position India as a noticeable player in the multi-billion dollar global market for delivering satellites into orbit. This third dedicated commercial flight of the four-stage PSLV, known for its reliable track record, was quite striking for its feat of launching as many as five satellites of international customers in less than twenty minutes of its take-off from the Indian spaceport in Sriharikota island, situated 80 kms to the north of Chennai.

This 26^th consecutive successful mission of the PSLV, deployed a 714 kg French earth observation satellite, Spot-7, into its intended orbit as a primary payload. The four other satellites that went into orbit as piggy-back payloads were- the 14 kg AISAT of Germany; the 7 kg VELOX-1 of Singapore and the Canadian NLS 7.1 and NLS 7.2 satellites each weighing 15 kg. All the five satellites were launched under commercial contracts that Bangalore-based Antrix Corp, the commercial arm of the Indian space programme, had bagged. However, Antrix continues to maintain a stoic silence over the details of the fee charged for the PSLV launch services. Described as a “world class space vehicle” with a multi-mission and multiple-launch capability, PSLV started offering the service of launching satellites of foreign customers for a fee beginning May 1999. Incidentally, since 2007, the Indian space agency has been active in launching satellites of foreign customers on commercial terms on a regular basis every year. With the successful accomplishment of the June 30 mission, PSLV has so far launched 40 satellites of international customers from 19 countries. Not surprisingly then, addressing ISRO scientists Modi stressed the point that “India has a potential to be the launch service provider  of the world.” Going ahead, he said, “We must work towards this goal. Construct the required new launch infrastructure and extend our launch capability to heavier satellites.” Modi has left none in doubt that he wants India to be a major player in the fiercely competitive global market for launching satellites.

In pursuance of its goal of boosting the revenue flow through launch service, Antrix Corp has clinched a deal with DMC International Imaging (DMCII), the wholly-owned subsidiary of Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd of UK, for the launch of its three DMC-3 earth observation satellites at the head of the PSLV. Antrix has also signed launch services agreement with ST Electronics (Satcoms and Sensor Systems) Pvt Ltd of Singapore for launching its TeLEOS-1 remote sensing satellite by means of a PSLV flight. Antrix sources said that these launches are planned to take place during 2014-15 timeframe. Yet another PSLV commercial mission envisaged for the second half of this decade would orbit EnMap, the German hyper spectral environmental mapping satellite. With a lift-off weight of 870 kg . EnMap would be the heaviest payload to be launched by PSLV under a commercial contract. Under yet another commercial contract bagged by Antrix, the Indonesian Lapan-2 satellite will be launched as a piggy back payload on-board a PSLV flight slated for 2015. The primary payload of this PSLV mission will be Astrosat, India’s first multi-wavelength space-based observatory. Meanwhile, Antrix is focussing on Latin America and Africa for bagging  new contracts for its launch services

Significantly, the shifting geopolitical priorities, as highlighted by the Western sanctions on Russia over the Ukranian crisis, has nudged Canada to turn to Antrix for the launch of its M3M (Maritime Monitoring and Messaging Micro Satellite) spacecraft. This satellite developed by COMDEV International, under a contract from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and Public Works Government Services Canada for Defence Research and Development, was originally planned to be launched by means of a Russian Soyuz rocket in June 2014. Canadian space agency sources say that it has now been decided to award a contract to Antrix for the July 2015 launch of M3M. Of course, the satellite will be launched by means of PSLV.

In early December 2014, the Indian Parliament was informed that Antrix Corporation has finalized contracts to launch 16 satellites belonging to six nations in the coming years. In a written  reply, Minister of State in Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Jitendra Singh revealed that the assignments taken up by Antrix included the setting up of ground stations for the direct reception of data from earth observation spacecraft forming part of the IRS constellation operated by ISRO along with processing  facilities in as many as twenty overseas locations, developing two state-of-the-art  communications satellites for European customers as well as making available tracking support for over 70 spacecraft missions of international customers.

Meanwhile, the successful early 2014 debut flight of the three-stage GSLV (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle)-MKII, featuring a home grown cryogenic upper-stage has, opened up the possibility of expanding the scope of the commercial launch service offered by Antrix. For, after a couple of developmental flights, GSLV-MKII capable of deploying a two-tonne plus class satellite into a geostationary transfer orbit, would be ready for commercial mission sometime next year. On the one hand, GSLV-MKII would help India end its dependence on procured launch service for getting the INSAT/GSAT class satellites off the ground at an enormous cost to the public exchequer. On the other hand, it could help bring in the much needed foreign exchange by way of the fee charged for launching satellites of international customers. As revealed by sources in ISRO, India had paid something around US$ 85-90 million as a fee for launching a communications satellite weighing 3.5 tonne. However, India would be in a position to make a grade in the commercial launch market only after its heavy lift GSLV-MKIII capable of carrying 4.5 tonne class satellite into a geostationary transfer orbit gets qualified for routine operations.   

With an increasing number of countries planning to acquire their own domestic satellite systems, the demand for launch services is expected to go up by a substantial extent in the years ahead.  Currently, the Ariane vehicle of the European space transportation company, Arianespace, is a world leader in the satellite launch market with more than 60% of the market share. Antrix looks at the launch services as the major growth area in the years ahead and sees revenue surging 20% annually over the next five years on the back of an expanding launch service centring round PSLV and the introduction of GSLV-MKII followed by GSLV-MKIII.    

As thing stand now, China which has at its disposal a wide range of launch vehicles in varying configurations to meet the diverse mission requirements, is far ahead of India. All said and done, India is yet to build and launch satellite systems on a turnkey basis for third world countries. This is an area where China had done admirably well.

Even in terms of infrastructure, China is in a much better position. China boasts of three landlocked launch centres and one upcoming coastal space port to take care of a variety of launch needs with a short turnaround time. In distinct contrast, India has only one space port at Sriharikota. Added to that the industrial support available for the Chinese space programme is quite substantial even as Indian industries are yet to graduate to the position of taking up the challenge of building and delivering launch vehicles and satellites in a ready to use condition.

The author is a freelance writer on defence and aerospace subjects. Views expressed are personal.