India in line for 2 more orders for satellites from EADS

Bangalore, Apr 17 (UNI) Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), which recently firmed up a commercial contract with EADS Astrium for building a communication satellite, is in line for orders for two more, ISRO Chairman G Madhavan Nair indicated today.

Presiding over the inauguration of ISRO Satellite Integration and Test Establishment (ISITE) here, he said ISRO was expecting orders for two more satellites. He, however, did not divulge any details.

Stating that ISRO had made its mark in the global arena and was capable of having its own share in the world satellite market, he urged the satellite builders --ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC) to be prepared to shoulder a big responsibility. ''We will be building atleast half a dozen satellites at a time and not one or two,'' he said.

Mr Nair said ISRO's hands were already full with the domestic demand for communication and remote sensing satellites and the expectations from the global market would increase.

ISITE was inaugurated by National Security Advisor M K Narayanan who in his brief address paid rich accolades to space scientists for carving a niche for themselves in the area which had only a few players in the world.

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