Launch order book stands at Rs2.8b

India has a satellite launch order book of around Rs2.8b (Dh154 million) for third parties. The country is also in discussions with others for contract manufacturing of meteorological satellites, said top Indian space officials here on Monday.

The officials spoke to the media here after the successful launch of eight satellites — three Indian and five foreign — with an Indian rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).

“Our order book size for launching foreign satellites stands at around Rs 280 crore. This will take us around two/three years to exhaust,” said of Antrix Corporation’s Chairman-cum-Managing Director S. Rakesh.

Rakesh said discussions are on with several parties for orders worth a similar amount.

The Antrix Corporation is the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro).

According to Rakesh, the company closed last fiscal with a turnover of Rs19.23 billion and is expected to close the current fiscal with a revenue of around Rs20 billion. He said the company is looking at consolidating the performance and achievements of Isro.

On making satellites for others, Isro Chairman A.S. Kiran Kumar said: “Our meteorological satellites have excellent capabilities which, barring the US, others do not have.” He said India is in discussions for making meteorological satellites for others.