The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Boeing Satellite Systems have reached a broad agreement to jointly develop and market 2t-class commercial communications satellites for third countries, says ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair. However, a formal deal is yet to be signed and significant obstacles to the venture remain.
Nair says Boeing is evaluating several proposals for joint collaboration with ISRO. "We have exchanged some notes, but the concrete proposal has to come from Boeing," he says. "I have told Boeing to find a customer. They say they are trying to look around."
If a deal is reached, Boeing will integrate its payloads with ISRO's satellite bus for launch on behalf of third-country customers. A launch vehicle has not yet been selected.
The Boeing/ISRO satellites will resemble India's 2t-plus INSAT domestic spacecraft. Antrix, the commercial arm of the Indian space programme, is keen to enter the market for supplying and launching satellites on a turnkey basis for global customers. It has supplied components for satellite builders in North America and western Europe.
Despite talk of a US relaxation of export restrictions on high-technology hardware, industry analysts are sceptical that the ISRO/Boeing venture will proceed. Antrix lost a chance to launch the Taiwanese Rocsat satellite on its four-stage Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle because Washington will not allow US-built spacecraft or those containing US-sourced components to be launched from third countries.
RADHAKRISHNA RAO / BANGALORE
Source: Flight International