The countdown has begun for the historical launch of India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle or PSLV, which will carry a French Earth observation satellite along with four others from Singapore, Canada and Germany on Monday. (
ISRO's Launch Vehicle to Lift-Off on June 30, PM Modi to Witness)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be among those who will witness the historic lift-off of the 230-ton rocket at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. This is the fourth fully commercial launch of India's workhorse rocket.
NDTV's Science Editor Pallava Bagla caught up with
Dr VS Hegde, Chairman and Managing Director of Antrix Corporation Limited, the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation. Antrix has already bagged contracts for three dedicated launches from Germany, Canada and Singapore.
NDTV: Dr Hegde, what is significant about this launch and who are the commercial customers?
VS Hegde: The commercial customers for this launch are Airbus Defence and Space, France; and we have also got four smaller satellites going in this mission - two from Canada, one from Germany and one from Singapore but Spot-7 is our primary customer. The primary satellite going in this mission is a 714-kg satellite made by Airbus Defence and Space, being one of the leading aerospace companies in the world, we consider this opportunity as one of the prestigious events for Antrix.
NDTV: Are you excited that the prime minister is going to witness the launch?
VS Hegde: Oh! We are more than excited because there is nothing like honourable Prime Minister witnessing a commercial launch of the PSLV facilitated by Antrix.
NDTV: How many commercial launches have you done and how many are you likely to do in the future? Is Antrix a company which is making money or losing money?
VS Hegde: We have so far launched 35 foreign satellites. Of course, smaller or slightly larger or whatever from 19 different countries in various PSLV missions and Antrix, touch wood, is doing pretty well these days. I mean, the business is picking up better and better.
NDTV: You've been under a state of cloud with the Antrix - Devas deal going into the courts and then going into arbitration. What is the status of that particular issue?
VS Hegde: That issue has taken its own course and it is in judiciary now but we are no way affected with regard to the commercial activities of business.
NDTV: What you are telling me is the commercial activity is unaffected by the Antrix - Devas problem?
VS Hegde: Absolutely. That is what I meant.
NDTV: How have you managed that?
VS Hegde: See basically, ISRO and ANTRIX have their own brand, their own trust and also customers. So we don't see any change with respect to our activities and our business.
NDTV: So do you expect India to become a big player in the international space market?
VS Hegde: We are already a force to be reckoned with and we are definitely going to grow.