Indian launchers aim at commercial market

PSLV, India's indigenous polar satellite launch vehicle, has made the first launch of a foreign payload by an Indian rocket. This vehicle is at the forefront of India's attempts to enter the commercial launcher sector. The next stages will be the lofting of INSAT-3B and the geostationary satellite launch vehicle (GSLV). It is hoped that GSLV will permit India to launch 2.5-tonne payloads to GEO and will herald the use of cryogenic technologies in India. It is planned to make a first GSLV launch by mid-2000. India has considerable progress to make before it becomes a key player in the commercial launcher market, even though it benefits from lower costs.