A $40 million profit is to be achieved by India’s space programme as the European space consortium Arianespace, would launch the W2M satellite, built by ISRO for a foreign customer.

By developing the W2M for the satellite operator Eutelsat, under the ISRO-EADS Astrium alliance, the Bangalore- headquartered space agency is all set to make its presence felt in the satellite-manufacturing market.

ISRO has constructed the W2M under an $80 million (Rs400 crore) contract. It was informed by officials that it was a good deal for the space agency which made a profit of $40 million (Rs200 crore) in this venture. ISRO official informed, “ISRO builds such spacecraft without payloads for less than Rs200 crore. That way we made a good profit.”

ISRO Chairman G Madhavan Nair further informed, “It (W2M) is comparable to INSAT-4 series. For the first time, we have built a satellite for a foreign customer. So, that’s why the launch is important for us.”

Nair would also be present at the Europe’s spaceport of Kourou in French Guiana when the W2M spacecraft is launched, along with HOT BIRD satellite, built by EADS Astrium, Europe’s leading satellite system specialist, by an Ariane rocket early Sunday Indian time.

“Weighing 3,462 kg at lift-off, W2M is the heaviest spacecraft built by the Indian space agency till date. It was built in 26 months,” said ISRO spokesperson S Satish.