Higher-performance Solid Motor for PSLV
(ISRO Press Release, 31 March 2002)

ISRO crosses one more milestone
(ISRO Press Release, 30 March 2002)

Agrani to launch India's first private satellite
(Hindustan Times, 21 March 2002)

Agrani Satellite Services Ltd. (ASSL) on March 17th entered into an agreement with Alcatel Space Industries, France and Arianespace, France to launch India's first private satellite - Agrani II - by 2003 end. The shareholders agreement, for the Rs.1150-crore project, was initiated by Zee Telefilms chairman Subhash Chandra, Alcatel Space Chairperson & CEO Pascale Sourisse and Arianespace Chairman & CEO Jean-Marie Luton. The fast track project involves procurement of a geostationary C- and Ku-band satellite from Alcatel Space. The deal also involves in orbit delivery of the satellite and a ground control station by Alcatel, while the launch will be on an Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou in French Guyana. The high-power and long-life satellite will have a total of 38 transponders, including 24 C-band transponders positioned over India and Asia.

Another 14 Ku-band transponders will have two beams, one for India and the other 'steerable' over the Middle East, Southeast Asia or Europe. Four of these transponders are independently switchable from one coverage beam to the other. All transponders will be of 36 MHz bandwidth, except for two Ku-band transponders with 54 MHz bandwidth. Each 36 MHz transponder will be capable of transmitting up to 45 Mbps or eight to 10 compressed digital video channels. These transponders will support a broad range of applications ranging from television broadcasting, direct-to-home (DTH) television and remote area communications. The project cost is being partly funded by debt from a number of Indian banks and financial institutions. Both Alcatel Space and Arianespace have picked up a 13% stake for a total of $20 million in the equity of ASSL. The Essel Group is underwriting the balance.

India Workshop on SASAR inaugurated
(ISRO Press Release, 18 March 2002)

ISRO is working on reusable launch vehicle
(Times of India, 04 March 2002)

A reusable launch vehicle, which can take off and land like an aircraft after placing a satellite in orbit, is taking shape on the drawing boards of ISRO. That ISRO scientists and engineers are working on this futuristic project is evident from the latest budget report of the department of space, which states that projects have been planned to provide technological inputs for advanced reusable launch vehicle systems. Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) G. Madhavan Nair said recently that the space agency was studying the concept of a two-stage vehicle - one that could take off and land like an airplane. The main advantage of this system, he said, was that it would considerably reduce the cost of launching satellites.

Referring to other projects, the report states that ISRO will be placing in orbit different types of remote sensing satellites. These include Cartosat-1, which will help in the area of cartography, urban management, disaster management and relief planning and management, Resourcesat-1, which will provide information on land and water resources, and Metsat, which will be a meteorological satellite. Also planned is a remote sensing satellite, designated Ritsat-1, which will have applications relating to agriculture, forestry, soil moisture and disaster management. Referring to the GSLV program, the report says that two developmental flights of this rocket have been scheduled until 2004. They will carry the indigenous G-Sat satellites, which are communication test satellites. At present, the GSLV has the capability of carrying the INSAT-class of communication satellites weighing between 2000 and 2500 kilograms.

The GSLV places in orbit communication satellites and the first test flight took place successfully on 18 April 2001. Once this rocket is declared operational, ISRO will no more depend on Arianespace for placing its INSAT communication satellites in orbit. The report also states that the space agency is designing an advanced version of the GSLV, which can carry a payload weighing 3000 to 3500 kg. The amount sanctioned for this project has been hiked from Rs.1 crore in 2001-’02 to Rs.163 crores in the current budget. About the INSAT satellites, it states that INSAT-3A and INSAT-3E are slated to go into orbit later this year or early 2003. With regard to the fourth generation INSAT satellites, the report states that seven satellites have been planned in this series until 2007.

ISRO signs MOU with Brazilian Space Agency
(ISRO Press Release, 01 March 2002)