Indian Space Research Organisation is close to signing contracts for launching three foreign satellites on board its home-built Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) from Sriharikota spaceport. ISRO Chairman K Radhakrishnan said Antrix Corporation, the space agency’s marketing arm, is in advanced dialogue for three launch services contracts.
“There are very serious discussions taking place for both dedicated launches and for the co-passenger missions. At least three I am aware of where people are seriously interested and discussions are taking place”, Radhakrishnan, also Secretary in the Department of Space and Chairman of Space Commission, told PTI here.
“They are expecting us to indicate whether we can do the launches. So they want us to do it. When exactly they want it”, he said.
Radhakrishnan also said Bangalore-headquartered ISRO would establish a Research and Development (R&D) complex in Karnataka’s Chitradurga district.
“In Chitradurga) we are having about 540 acres of land. We are developing it into a complex for taking up R&D for the future”, he said.
Noting that the proposed complex is going to be a “major asset”, Radhakrishnan said ISRO is looking at the next few decades with this initiative.
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“The new generation has to look at what all they have to do”. He termed NASA’s Mars mission as a “fantastic achievement” and an “engineering marvel.”
Earlier, last week India’s premier space agency said it is planning to undertake 58 satellite and launch vehicle missions in the 12th Five year period and sees larger role for industries in realising these ventures.
According to Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) had done 10-13 missions in each of the 8th, 9th and 10th plan period, and completed 29 in the 11th five-year Plan period 2007-12. To be precise, ISRO proposes to undertake 33 satellites and 25 launch vehicles missions.
“During 2012-17, we are planning about 60 missions,” Radhakrishnan, also Secretary in the Department of Space and Space Commission Chairman, said.