(a) whether the launch of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) is likely to take place as planned;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the PSLV proposes to launch three satellites including that of Indonesia in orbit; and
(d) if so, the details in this regard ?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE PRIME MINISTER`S OFFICE (SHRI PRITHVIRAJ CHAVAN):
(a) Yes, Sir.
(b) The next launch of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV- C7) is planned during
the last quarter of 2006. Towards this, the launch vehicle integration activities
have already commenced in Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Shriharikota. Parallely,
the satellites planned for launch on-board PSLV-C7 are undergoing various tests
at the ISRO Satellite Centre, Bangalore.
(c) The next launch of PSLV-C7 would carry four satellites including one from
Indonesia.
(d) Out of these, two form a part of our national space programme –
(i) CARTOSAT-2 for cartography applications and
(ii) Space capsule Recovery
Experiment (SRE) for microgravity experiments. In addition, PSLV-C7 would
also carry two more satellites – a microsatellite LAPAN-TUBSAT of Indonesia
for environmental monitoring applications and a micro satellite Nano-Pehuensat 1
of University of Argentina for amateur radio experiments.