FROM scratch to launch, India has attained self-reliance in space science. More or less. But to emerge as a player in the global launch market—visions of which have been raised by the launch of IRS-ID from PSLV last week —the government will have to
Launchpad: Sriharikota is closer to the equator than other launch centres. This makes eastward launches, which can use gravity to put more weight in space, possible. Launching from here will also be cheaper, as cheap as Russia or China. But India will have to roll out the red carpet to get countries to come all the way to exploit Sriharikota's payload and cost advantage.
Launch vehicle: In graduating from procured launches off Russia and French Guyana, the PSLV has demonstrated indigenous capability to send up satellites. But to meet global launch market needs, says analyst S. Chandrashekhar, it will have to be modified to carry larger geostationary communications satellites, or smaller satellites of the Iridium, Tele-disc, INMARSAT variety.
Satellite Fabrication: INSAT, IRS prove we are among the best. But we need to make one or two satellites every year to prove consistency. ISRO can be the R&D hothouse, while an outfit on the lines of BHEL can be set up to take up turnkey orders to make new satellites. That way Zee wouldn't have had to go to Hughes for its bird.
Transponders: Ten transponders on the INSAT-2E have been leased to INTELSAT at $11 million a year. Otherwise, there's no policy on leasing transponders although there's a huge demand from private satellite TV operators at home and abroad. In its absence, Doordarshan and the Department of Telecommunications have cornered the transponders and are milking it. DD leases them to CNN and makes money; DOT does ditto with VSAT operators. ISRO gets zilch.
Ground systems: Even when General Electric was building the initial INSAT series, we had the Master Control Facility up and ready in Deve Gowda's hometown, Hassan. DOT set up infrastructure in Hyderabad to receive telecommunications signals, but science journalist Dr R. Ramachandran says we have never really aggressively exploited these in the global marketplace.
Remote sensing images: The one area where India has the edge, but by default. IRS-IC's remote sensed images are marketed in the US and Europe by US firm SI-Eosat Inc. Only because Landsat, which SI-Eosat handled, is not on. India has lagged in exploiting the subcontinental market. To stay ahead, India needs proactive not reactive space management.