Antrix Corporation

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Antrix Corporation Limited
Public Sector Undertaking
Industry Space; Communications
Founded 1992
Headquarters Bangalore, India
Key people
 CMD V. S. Hegde
Services Satellite launch services; Satellite imagery
Revenue INR 1300 Crores ($200 million) [1]
Website www.antrix.gov.in

Antrix Corporation Limited is the marketing arm of ISRO for promotion and commercialization of space products, technical consultancy services and transfer of technologies developed by ISRO.[2][3] It was incorporated as a private limited company owned by the Indian government in September 1992.

Antrix provides space products and services to international customers worldwide. Its clientele includes EADS Astrium, Intelsat, Avanti Group, WorldSpace, Inmarsat, and other space institutions in Europe, Middle East and South East Asia.[2]

It was awarded 'Miniratna' status by the government in 2008 [2] and achieved a turnover of Rs. 13 billion in 2013–14.

Etymology

The name "Antrix" is an anglicised version of Antariksha, from the Sanskrit word for "space".

Achievements

  • Successful launch of W2M satellite.
  • Successful supply of reliable satellite systems and sub-systems. Some of Antrix's better known customers are Hughes, Matra Marconi, World Space etc.
  • Successful Commercial Satellite Launches of Kitsat (Korea), Tubsat (DLR - Germany), BIRD (DLR - Germany), PROBA (Verhaert, Belgium) aboard the ISRO's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).
  • Execution of many IOT / TTC support services to International Space Agencies. Some of the customers using Antrix services are World Space PANAMSAT, GE Americom, AFRISTAT etc.,
  • LEOP support, IOT, TTC.
  • Successful launch of TecSar(Israel).
  • Two satellites; one from France and another from Japan were launched in September 2012.
  • Successful launch of five satellites, including French SPOT 7 satellite on 30 June 2014
  • UK based satellite launch UK-DMC 3 on 10 July 2015.[4]

Business agreement

On 29 January 2014, Antrix Corporation Limited (Antrix), the commercial arm of Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), signed Launch Services Agreement with DMC International Imaging (DMCii), the wholly owned subsidiary of Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL), United Kingdom (UK), for launch of three DMC-3 Earth Observation Satellites being built by SSTL, on-board ISRO’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). On 5 February 2014, Antrix signed another Launch Services Agreement with ST Electronics (Satcom & Sensor Systems) Pte Ltd, Singapore, for launch of TeLEOS-1 Earth Observation Satellite, on-board PSLV. These launches are planned during end 2014 to end 2015.[5] On September 29, 2014, Canada announced that it has decided to give the contract of the July 2015 launch of its M3M (Maritime Monitoring and Messaging Micro-Satellite) communications satellite to Antrix during the inauguration of the International Astronautical Congress at Toronto.[6]

Controversies

S-band spectrum scam

In India, electromagnetic spectrum, being a scarce resource for wireless communication, is auctioned by the Government of India to telecom companies for use. As an example of its value, in 2010, 20 MHz of 3G spectrum was auctioned for ₹67,700 crore (US$10 billion). This part of the spectrum is allocated for terrestrial communication (cell phones). However, in January 2005, Antrix Corporation signed an agreement with Devas Multimedia (a private company formed by former ISRO employees and venture capitalists from USA) for lease of S band transponders (amounting to 70 MHz of spectrum) on two ISRO satellites (GSAT 6 and GSAT 6A) for a price of ₹1,400 crore (US$210 million), to be paid over a period of 12 years. The spectrum used in these satellites ( 2500 MHZ and above) is allocated by International Telecommunication Union (ITU) specifically for satellite based communication in India. Hypothetically, if the spectrum allocation is changed for utilization for terrestrial transmission and if this 70 MHz of spectrum were sold at the 2010 auction price of the 3G spectrum, its value would have been over ₹200,000 crore (US$30 billion). This was an hypothetical situation. However, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India considered this hypothetical situation and estimated the difference between the prices as a loss to the Indian Government.[7][8][9]

There were lapses on implementing Government of India procedures. Antrix/ISRO had allocated capacity of the above two satellites to Devas Multimedia on an exclusive basis, while rules said it should always be non-exclusive. The Cabinet was misinformed in November 2005 that several service providers were interested in using satellite capacity, while the Devas deal was already signed. Also, the Space Commission was kept in the dark while taking approval for the second satellite (its cost was diluted so that Cabinet approval was not needed). ISRO committed to spending ₹766 crore (US$110 million) of public money on building, launching and operating two satellites which were leased out for Devas.[10]

In late 2009, some ISRO insiders exposed information about the Devas-Antrix deal,[9][11] and the ensuing investigations resulted in the deal being annulled. G. Madhavan Nair (ISRO Chairperson when the agreement was signed) was barred from holding any post under the Department of Space. Some former scientists were found guilty of "acts of commission" or "acts of omission". Devas and Deutsche Telekom demanded US$2 billion and US$1 billion, respectively, in damages.[12] Government of India's Department of Revenue and Ministry of Corporate Affairs initiated an inquiry into Devas shareholding.[10]

CBI registers case

The CBI concluded investigations into the Antrix-Devas scam and registered a case against the accused in the Antrix-Devas deal under Section 120-B, besides Section 420 of IPC and Section 13(2) read with 13(1)(d) of PC Act, 1988 on 18 March 2015 against the then Executive Director of Antrix Corporation, two officials of USA-based company, Bengaluru based private multimedia company, and other unknown officials of Antrix Corporation or Department of Space.[13][14]

Cases in courts

Devas Multimedia started arbitration proceedings against Antrix in June 2011. In September 2015, the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce ruled in favour of Devas, and directed Antrix to pay US $ 672 million (Rs 4435 crores) in damages to Devas.[15] Antrix opposed the Devas plea for tribunal award in the Delhi High Court.[16]

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ http://www.dnaindia.com/scitech/report-isro-launches-five-british-satellites-india-s-heaviest-commercial-launch-ever-2103531
  5. ↑ http://isro.gov.in/scripts/news-6-2-14.aspx
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ The Asian Age
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Newsroom24x7
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

mr:अंतरिक्ष

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