April 11, 2007
ISRO to Launch Italian Satellite April 23
Bangalore
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to launch the
first dedicated commercial satellite of the Italian Space Agency
(ISA), Agile April 23 on board India's polar satellite launch
vehicle (PSLV-C8) from the Satish Dhawan space centre at Sriharikota
on the Andhra Pradesh coast.
ISRO chairman G. Madhavan Nair told reporters here Wednesday the
2,650-kg PSLV will also carry the 185-kg Indian satellite,
christened Advanced Avionics Module (AAM), for conducting technology
demonstration and some experiments in the space.
The AAM will separate from the launch vehicle into the space after
deploying Agile in the polar orbit inclined to 3.5 degrees to the
equator.
"The Indian satellite will piggy-ride on the 350-kg Agile and the
total payload will be 535-kg. The satellites have been integrated
with the launch vehicle (PSLV). We are in the process of integrating
the PSLV with the first launch pad at Sriharikota for take-off April
23," Nair said.
The Italian satellite will conduct experiments in astrophysics using
gamma-ray and x-ray machines to study the radiation effects from the
earth and in space. It will also enrich the scientific knowledge of
space assets.
"As the combined payload of the two satellites is lesser, the PSLV
will be launched without the four strap-ons. As a result, the launch
cost will be lower at Rs.680 million as against the normal cost of
Rs.800 million. The Italian satellite is self-insured by its space
agency," Nair pointed out.
The Agile is spearheaded by the Italian Institute of Astrophysics
and the Italian Institute of Nuclear Physics.
"The launch of Agile will open up a huge commercial opportunity for
us to pitch for more such launches in future, as the cost of each
launch in the polar orbit is competitive in the global space launch
market," Nair added.
According to Antrix Corporation, the commercial arm of the ISRO, the
cost in the international market of launching commercial satellites
into the polar orbit is about Rs.13,000-15,000 per kg and about
Rs.20,000 per kg in the geo-stationary orbit.
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