ISRO to launch satellites to boost transponder capacity

On the sidelines of the Space Summit session at the 98th Indian Science Congress Wednesday, T.K. Alex, director of the ISRO Satellite Centre, said: "In March/April, we will launch communication satellites GSAT-8 from French Guyana using Ariane rocket. Later this year or early 2012, GSAT-10 will be launched again by Ariane."

ISRO will also be launching GSAT-12 satellite using its own rocket - polar satellite launch vehicle (PSLV) in March/April, he said."In the meantime, we will be leasing transponders from other agencies to cater to our customers," he added.

Last year, ISRO lost two communication satellites as its rocket - geosynchronous satellite launch vehicle (GSLV) - failed.On Dec 25, a GSLV rocket carrying advanced communications satellite GSAT-5P disintegrated within 50 seconds after lift off.

And in April last year, a GSLV rocket plunged into the sea as the ISRO-made cryogenic engine failed to perform.

According to Alex, ISRO will launch a remote sensing satellite Resourcesat soon. Piggy backing on that will be two small satellites, one built by Moscow University and ISRO, and the other by Singapore University.