India’s Space Research Organisation (ISRO) says that it wants to build and launch 40 rockets into space over the next four years, and of that 40, around 10 will carry geostationary satellites for TV and broadband communications. The remaining 30 rockets will carry scientific missions.

ISRO chairman Kailasavadivoo Sivan, speaking in Bengaluru, said that ISRO has been launching only three to four rockets annually. “We are looking at sending 12 to 18 rockets each year, with everything done indigenously. So the firms supplying us all our parts need to ramp up their production capacity massively and hire additional manpower to meet our demand… Hiring in large numbers will have to take place, particularly in the manufacturing, fabrication and quality control sectors,” he said.

He added that by this time next year, the ramp-up would be well under way. “Even if we are unable to launch all of them, we will achieve something near this target, which is creditable.”

The new satellites will replace and add capacity to India’s current fleet and would also add bandwidth for in-flight connectivity.

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