ISRO to Launch 6,500 Kg Communication Satellite Built by USA in couple of Months: Chairman

After marking a humble beginning in Indian space programme with a tiny rocket supplied by the United States, ISRO would launch a 6,500 kg communication satellite built by the USA in the next couple of months, the Chairman of space agency, V Narayanan said on Sunday.

Following the historic launch of NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission onboard a GSLV-F16 rocket on July 30, ISRO would be launching another satellite for the United States, he said at an event near Chennai.

Narayanan, who is also the secretary, Department of Space, was presented with the honorary degree, Doctor of Science, by the Governor of Maharashtra C P Radhakrishnan, during the 21st Convocation of SRM Institute of Science and Technology at Kattankulathur near Chennai.

In his acceptance speech, Narayanan recalled that the ISRO was set up in 1963 and the country was 6-7 years behind advanced countries then. In the same year, a tiny rocket was donated by the United States marking the beginnings of the Indian Space Programme. "It was on November 21, 1963," he said.

In 1975, through satellite data given by the US, ISRO demonstrated 'mass communication' by keeping 2,400 television sets across 2,400 villages of 6 Indian states, he said.

"From that (kind of humble beginnings), the 30th of July was a historical day for Indian space programme. We have launched the NISAR satellite. The costliest satellite ever built in the world. The L Band SAR payload from the USA and S Band payload provided by ISRO. The satellite was placed in orbit precisely by Indian launcher (GSLV). And today, we are shoulder to shoulder with advanced countries," Narayanan remarked.

He noted that the team from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) appreciated their ISRO counterparts for the precision launch of the GSLV-F16/NISAR Mission.

"In another couple of months, a country which received a tiny rocket from the United States, is going to launch a 6,500 kg communication satellite built by the America using our own launcher from Indian soil. What a significant growth it is," he noted.

From a country which did not have satellite technology 50 years back, ISRO has, to date, launched 433 satellites of 34 countries using its own launch vehicles, he said.