Question : COMMERCIAL SPACE SATELLITE LAUNCHING SERVICES

(a) whether India has started commercial space satellite launching services;

(b) if so, the details thereof; (

(c) if not, the reasons therefor;

(d) the number of countries approached so far; and

(e) the other services being provided presently?

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF SMALL SCALE INDUSTRIES & AGRO AND RURAL INDUSTRIES, MINISTER OF STATE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL AND TRAINING, DEPARTMENT OF PENSIONS AND PENSIONERS` WELFARE OF THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS, DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY AND DEPARTMENT OF SPACE (SMT. VASUNDHARA RAJE)

(a) Yes, Sir. Currently, having operationalised Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has been offering PSLV for primary as well as auxiliary payloads (satellites).

(b) ISRO has already launched two small satellites (KITSAT of Korea and TUBSAT of Germany) on commercial basis on PSLV-C2 mission in 1999. Contracts for two more satellites are being executed for launching two small satellites (PROBA of Belgium and BIRD of Germany) on the forthcoming PSLV mission.

(c ) Does not arise.

(d) ISRO/Antrix has been responding to enquiries from several countries in Europe, Korea, Japan, etc.

(e) On commercial basis, Antrix, the commercial arm of Department of Space has been providing services such as testing, satellite tracking and telemetry, consultancy, access to remote sensing satellite data outside India, etc.