Antrix Corporation

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 1860.71 Crores (2014-15) [1]
INR 205 Crores (2014-15)
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. 18 billion in 2014–15.

Etymology

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

Achievements

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]During the year, eight PSLV launch services agreements were signed for launching 16 international customer satellites as co-passengers. These are with Skybos Imaging Inc, USA; DLR, Germany; COMDEV, Canada, University of Toronto, Institute of Aerospace Studies, Canada, COSMOS International Germany; Space Fight Inc., USA and Algerian Space Agency.

With these the company had signed agreements for launching 33 satellites.

Controversies

S-band spectrum scam

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 on two ISRO satellites (GSAT 6 and GSAT 6A) for a price of ₹1400 crore (US$210 million), a huge amount lower than market price, to be paid over a period of 12 years.[7][8][9] 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] Devas shares were sold at a premium of ₹12.26 lakh (US$18,000), taking the accumulated share premium to ₹578 crore (US$85 million), thus getting a high profit. In July 2008, Devas offloaded 17% of its stake to German company Deutsche Telekom for US$75 million, and by 2010 had 17 investors, including former ISRO scientists.[8][10][11]

In late 2009, some ISRO insiders exposed information about the Devas-Antrix deal,[9][12] 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.[13] Government of India's Department of Revenue and Ministry of Corporate Affairs initiated an inquiry into Devas shareholding.[10] 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 March 18, 2015 against the then Executive Director, Antrix Corporation Limited, Bengaluru; two officials of USA-based company; Bengaluru based private multi media company and other unknown officials of Antrix Corporation Limited /ISRO/Department of Space.[14][15]

References

  1. ↑ www.business-standard.com http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/isro-s-commercial-arm-antrix-revenue-up-17-in-fy15-115121800781_1.html. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. 1 2 3 "Antrix responsible for marketing ISRO tech". Times of India. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
  3. ↑ "ISRO's commercial arm Antrix gets new chief". The Hindu. 9 June 2011. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
  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. ↑ "Antrix to launch Canadian Satellite". Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  7. ↑ Sharma, Dinesh (6 February 2012). "Space-age scam: the media tracked this Antrix-Devas deal was equated to the Telecommunication Scam, which was taking place in India around the same time". Daily Mail. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  8. 1 2 Thakur, Pradeep (8 February 2011). "Another spectrum scam hits govt, this time from ISRO". The Times of India (New Delhi). Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  9. 1 2 "Behind the S-band spectrum scandal". The Hindu. 28 September 2011. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  10. 1 2 3 Sharma, Dinesh (6 February 2012). "Space-age scam: the murky plot behind Antrix-Devas deal revealed". Daily Mail. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  11. ↑ "The story of a Rs 4,400 crore fiasco at ISRO". The Indian Express. 2015-10-08. Retrieved 2015-12-13.
  12. ↑ The Asian Age
  13. ↑ Jethmalani, Ram (22 August 2013). "Antrix Devas and the second generation scam". New Delhi: The New Indian Express. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  14. ↑ "CBI registers case in the huge Antrix-Devas scam". Newsroom24x7.com. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  15. ↑ Newsroom24x7

External links

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