Bangalore: Boeing and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) are likely to jointly build a communication satellite for the global market, US and Indian officials said today (June 22, 2004).

Addressing an Indo-US Space meet in Bangalore, US Under Secretary of Commerce, Kenneth I Juster, said the US Government had recently approved a license, authorising Boeing Satellite Systems to engage in discussions and share data with ISRO on the division of responsibilities for possible joint cooperation in the development and marketing of communication satellites.

Asked by reporters about the proposal, ISRO Chairman G Madhavan Nair said the satellite would be similar to the two tone class INSAT satellite.

"We are discussing with Boeing on whether we can incorporate some of their payloads and have joint marketing of the communication satellite", he said.

The satellite would be for the global market, he said, adding, if the agreement comes through, it would hit the market in two years. "If everything goes well, we will hit the market in two years".

Nair said the composition of the satellite was yet to be discussed. It would have 15 to 20 transponders and if they were powerful ones, it would be 12.