The Indian Space Research Organisation is set to double its revenues during the current fiscal year (2003-04) by marketing its space resources and services to domestic and global users.

"Our marketing agency Antrix will generate a revenue of Rs 200 crore (Rs 2 billion) by the end of the current fiscal against Rs 100 crore earned during the preceding fiscal 2002-03," ISRO's new chairman G Madhavan Nair said in Bangalore on Monday.

The INSAT-3E, which will be launched on September 28, and IRS-P6 (Resourcesat-1), to be launched in October, are expected to rake in the revenue.

"IRS-P6 will also be carrying an auxillary satellite (Hamsat) with two transponders for providing broadcasting services to the global amateur ham radio community. One of the transponders is from the Netherlands," Nair said.

The additional payloads of Resourcesat-1 will enable it to cover Russia and other Euroasian countries. Its reach will enable Antrix to market its communication and remote sensing services to more countries in Asia, the Gulf region and Africa.

"Marketing of space services and space resources will be equally pursued to emerge as global player and compete with international agencies for launching heavier satellites onboard PSLV and GSLV in the ensuing years," Nair said.

Nair also said that ISRO may collaborate with space agencies in Germany and Canada for its maiden moon mission (Chandrayaan-1).