RFP floated for assembly, testing of satellites: Govt

A Request for Proposal has been floated for assembling, integration and testing of satellites after an evaluation of the responses of the expression of interest for the purpose, involving the private sector, Union minister Jitendra Singh informed the Rajya Sabha today.
The reply from the minister of state in the PMO, Atomic Energy and Space came after he was asked whether the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has issued any tender for assembly, integration and testing of 30-35 satellites.
"An Expression of Interest (EOI) was floated for assembling, integration and testing of satellites involving private sector for building satellites of different mass," he said.

"After technical evaluation of the EOI, a Request for Proposal (RFP) has been floated. Evaluation of RFP responses is under progress," he added.
In reply to another question, Singh said ISRO has been providing commercial launch services for earth observation satellites and small satellites onboard the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle through Antrix Corporation Limited since 1999.
"The successful launch of GSLV Mark-III is a step ahead in building credibility in launching," he said.

"ISRO has just completed one launch of GSLV-MK III. Next developmental launch is in first half of 2018. Some more launches of GSLV-MK III will be needed before GSLV MK III gets recognised internationally as a vehicle for transportation to space," the minister added.

In a written response to another question, Singh said Antrix, the commercial arm of ISRO, has successfully launched 209 satellites from 29 nations under a commercial arrangement.
He also named the countries whose satellites have been successfully launched. They are: Algeria, Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Slovakia, Switzerland, Turkey, the UAE, the UK and the US.
Between April 2014 and March 2017, Antrix has earned a revenue of nearly 107 million euros and USD 4.5 million in foreign exchange, Singh said.