Date: June 10, 2009Time: 10:00 AMLocation: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Headquarters, BengaluruThe sun shone brightly over the sprawling ISRO campus, the iconic blue and white logo standing tall against the sky. Inside, the corridors were buzzing with activity, scientists and engineers hurrying between departments, their minds preoccupied with the test satellite unches and research projects.

  Aritra had flown in from Kolkata early that morning, accompanied by Ishita, his ever-efficient secretary, and Rajat, the operations head. The meeting had been arranged swiftly, thanks to Ishita’s connections in the industrial sector, and now, they were minutes away from one of the most significant negotiations of Aritra’s career.

  Seated inside a gss-walled conference room, they waited. The room was simple yet imposing, with a massive screen on one end dispying live satellite feeds, a rge model of the PSLV rocket standing in the corner, and framed photographs of past ISRO missions hanging on the walls.

  The door opened, and three ISRO representatives walked in, their presence commanding.

  Leading the group was Dr. Anil Mehta, the director of satellite unch operations. A man in his early fifties, with graying hair, a serious demeanor, and a sharp gaze that had seen decades of negotiations. He was fnked by Dr. Neha Reddy, an aerospace specialist, and Mr. Prakash Verma, the finance head responsible for commercial space projects.

  Aritra stood up, extending a handshake.

  “Mr. Naskar,” Dr. Mehta greeted, his grip firm. “I’ve read your proposal. Let’s hear what you have in mind.”

  Aritra gestured toward the table, and everyone took their seats. Ishita pulled out a neatly arranged set of documents while Rajat set up his ptop.

  “I appreciate you taking the time,” Aritra began, his tone steady. “As you’re aware, my company is expanding into global telecommunications. We have developed a 5G satellite network infrastructure, and for that, we require unch services from ISRO. Specifically, we need two satellites deployed into geostationary orbit within the next six months.”

  Dr. Mehta raised an eyebrow. “You’re looking at a dual-satellite deployment in one of our upcoming unches?”

  “Yes,” Aritra confirmed. “I believe ISRO’s GSLV Mk III can handle the payload.”

  Dr. Reddy, the aerospace specialist, adjusted her gsses. “Your proposal mentioned high-tech telecommunications satellites with self-sustaining nuclear microcores. That’s extremely advanced. Are these developed locally?”

  Aritra leaned forward slightly. “The technology is proprietary. We have an in-house R&D team that has designed the components, and the manufacturing is being set up in our Salt Lake facility in Kolkata. These satellites will revolutionize connectivity, allowing global 5G coverage with minimal infrastructure.”

  Dr. Mehta exchanged a gnce with his colleagues. “Interesting. But before we discuss unch capabilities, we need to talk about technical specifications. Our unch vehicles are optimized for certain payload types.”

  Aritra nodded. “Of course.” He clicked his ptop, casting a holographic blueprint onto the conference room screen. The detailed schematics of the two satellites rotated slowly, showcasing their sleek design, rge sor panels, and AI-driven navigation systems.

  “These satellites,” Aritra continued, “are each 12,000 kg, equipped with quantum-encrypted 5G transmission systems and AI-driven traffic optimization. They will operate at a geostationary altitude of 35,786 km and provide continuous coverage for up to 1 billion users per satellite.”

  Dr. Reddy’s eyes widened. “That’s… ambitious.”

  Dr. Mehta, ever the realist, steepled his fingers. “And what’s your unch budget?”

  Aritra exhaled slightly. This was where things got serious. “We’re prepared to pay 120 million per unch, covering all costs, including pre-unch testing, integration, and deployment.”

  Mr. Verma, the finance head, finally spoke. “That’s a generous offer. However, unching private satellites of this complexity will require custom integration work, and we’ll need dedicated payload clearance from the Ministry of Telecommunications.”

  Ishita, who had been silent until now, spoke up. “We are willing to handle the government regutory process on our end. All paperwork will be filed within the next two weeks.”

  Dr. Mehta tapped his pen against the table. “Alright. Assuming the clearances are approved, we could schedule your first unch in November 2009. The second one in March 2010.”

  Aritra nodded. “That works.”

  Dr. Reddy, still fixated on the blueprints, finally said, “This level of satellite technology—if successful—would make India a leader in global telecommunications infrastructure overnight.”

  “That’s exactly the pn,” Aritra said smoothly. “We want ISRO to be a key partner in this development.”

  Dr. Mehta seemed to consider this for a long moment before finally nodding. “Alright, Mr. Naskar. We’ll draft a formal agreement and send it to your team by the end of the week.”

  Aritra stood up, extending his hand again.

  Dr. Mehta shook it, this time with a slight smile. “Let’s make history.”

  The deal was done.

  As Aritra and his team exited the ISRO headquarters, the reality of what had just happened settled in. They had secured the first step toward global satellite communication dominance.