Isro May Open Gates For Bill'S Satellite Launch

Teledesic, a multimedia and Internet satellite network promoted by Bill Gates, has sounded the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) on using the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) for placing in orbit some of the 800 satellites it plans to launch.

A dialogue in this respect began during the visit of the Microsoft chief executive officer earlier this year. Isro and Teledesic have since exchanged technical details of each other's projects for possible cooperation in a couple of years, officials say.

The successful launch of the fourth PSLV later this year is crucial to attract Teledesic to buy Isro's launch services. This is the first time an operational satellite will be launched by an Indian rocket.

 

Isro chief K Kasturirangan has announced that India will begin to accept foreign launch offers after the PSLV launch scheduled for October. A second launch pad is being prepared at the Sriharikota spaceport near Chennai to achieve a launch frequency of one in every quarter.

Isro has commenced a feasibility study to launch low earth orbit (LEO) satellites using the PSLV. The launcher is primarily designed to place 1,000 kg satellites in polar orbit.

Changes in satellite-rocket mating and trajectories to suit a particular orbital position are needed.

Irridium, which is setting up a global satellite phone project, has also contacted Isro for launching its satellites. The consortium recently placed in orbit five satellites out of its 66 spacecraft network.

Global satellite telephony companies have suddenly injected life into an otherwise sluggish launch services market. There are 15 firms that intend to launch some 1,400 satellites in low (700 km) to geostationary (36,000 km) orbits over the next 10 years, signalling a potential boom for launch services worth an estimated $100 billion.

For this, launching companies like Ariane of Europe, Delta of the US, Glavcosmos of Russia and Long March of China are working overtime to produce sufficient launchers.

Isro, being a late entrant, has to first qualify its PSLV in three or four fault-free orbital placing before satellite companies feel confident about the PSLV.

The Teledesic project is the most ambitious of the satellite hand-held telephony schemes. It plans to offer voice, data, fax, multimedia, Internet as well as direct-to-home television in one single platform. Estimated to cost $10 billion, it is billed as the future of satellite communication.

The 840 satellites will revolve 700 km above the earth in a circular orbit collecting messages from and beaming to all parts of the globe.