Bangalore, April 11 (IANS) 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.
Indo-Asian News Service
