Chennai: India’s space programme, which began modestly in 1963 with a small rocket provided by the United States, is now preparing to launch a 6,500 kg communication satellite built in America within the next two months, ISRO Chairman V Narayanan said on Sunday, PTI reported.

Speaking at an event near Chennai, Narayanan noted that this mission would follow the historic July 30 launch of the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission aboard a GSLV-F16 rocket.

“In another couple of months, a country which received a tiny rocket from the United States, is going to launch a 6,500 kg communication satellite built by the America using our own launcher from Indian soil. What a significant growth it is,” he said, according to the report.

Narayanan, who also serves as Secretary, Department of Space, received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Maharashtra Governor C P Radhakrishnan during the 21st convocation of SRM Institute of Science and Technology at Kattankulathur.

In his acceptance speech, Narayanan recalled that ISRO was founded in 1963 when India lagged six to seven years behind advanced nations. “It was on November 21, 1963,” he said, referring to the day the US donated a small rocket that marked the start of the Indian space programme.

He pointed out that in 1975, ISRO used US-provided satellite data to showcase ‘mass communication’ by installing 2,400 television sets across 2,400 villages in six Indian states.

Reflecting on the NISAR mission, Narayanan described July 30 as “a historical day for Indian space programme," according to the report.

“The costliest satellite ever built in the world. The L Band SAR payload from the USA and S Band payload provided by ISRO. The satellite was placed in orbit precisely by Indian launcher (GSLV). And today, we are shoulder to shoulder with advanced countries.” he added.

He added that a NASA team commended ISRO for the precision launch of the GSLV-F16/NISAR mission.

From having no satellite technology 50 years ago, India has so far launched 433 satellites for 34 countries using its own launch vehicles, he noted.