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Boost to India’s space commerce

Bangalore: India’s space commerce got a big boost on Sunday when the first satellite built by ISRO for a foreign customer was put into its intended orbit after it was launched by the European Ariane-5 rocket fetching a profit of $ 40 million.

The state-of-the-art communications satellite — W2M— built by ISRO on a commercial basis in partnership with EADS-Astrium of Europe was launched at 4.05 a.m. IST from the Guiana Space Centre at Kourou in French Guiana, the ISRO said here on Sunday.

W2M separated from Ariane-5, 32 minutes after its lift-off, and reached its intended Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit. Building W2M signalled ISRO’S foray into the satellite-manufacturing market.

Weighing 3,463 kg at lift-off, it is the heaviest satellite built by the ISRO and is capable of operating for over 15 years.

The spacecraft was built for Eutelsat Communications, which is a global satellite communications provider based in Paris. — PTI

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