ISRO to Launch US Satellite on Commercial Basis in December
ISRO will launch a US communication satellite using its LVM3 rocket on a commercial basis next month, Chairman V Narayanan announced on Monday.
Key Details
- Launch scheduled for December 2024
- US communication satellite on commercial terms
- To be launched using LVM3 (Launch Vehicle Mark-III)
- Not a collaboration but a commercial service
“Launch date is not yet decided. It will be next month. It is a communication satellite, we are planning to launch. A commercial basis communication satellite we are going to launch in our LVM3 vehicle,” Narayanan told reporters.
The ISRO chairman clarified that this is not a collaboration with the US, but rather an American satellite being launched on commercial terms.
India’s Space Vision 2040
Speaking at the 68th Annual Day celebrations of Indian Railways Institute of Signal Engineering and Telecommunications (IRISET), Narayanan outlined India’s ambitious space goals. He stated that by 2040, India’s space program will be on par with any other advanced nation in terms of launches, satellites, and capabilities.
“If I summarise the Indian space programme, a programme which started with cycle era, by 2040, we will be on par with any other space bearing nation, in terms of launches, satellite, communication, application or capabilities,” he added.
Current Satellite Fleet and Expansion
According to Narayanan, ISRO currently has 57 satellites in orbit, with plans to triple this number within three years to better serve the country’s needs.
The space agency, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, is working on multiple programs to strengthen India’s position in the global space sector.
