Mumbai: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch a satellite next year to cater to the growing needs of the country''s direct-to-home (DTH) television market.

Currently, INSAT 4 CR caters to DTH market. ISRO said it plans to launch another one next year, to add capacity. ISRO also proposes to make satellites for the replacement market as well, so that satellite failures won''t affect the customer," A Bhaskara Narayana, director of ISRO''s satellite communication programmes and frequency management, said.

He was addressing a session on `Growing DTH, VSAT and broadcasting markets'' at the business conclave of the ongoing the International Astronomical Congress.

He said that some channels cannot be telecast by the DTH operators though the customers want it because the concerned channels do not have downlink licence, adding that the government will review it at some point.