"India will be launching its satellite 'Chandrayan' by mid next year for carrying out scientific experiments on moon," Nair said after inaugurating an information and communication technology gallery at the Raman Science centre.

The satellite with a payload of 560 kg will carry various instruments to study the surface of moon, Nair said adding the satellite will be launched by PSLV sometime around August next year. It will orbit near the moon and take visuals and photographs to study real colour of surface. It will remain for two years and this will be first of its kind experiment by ISRO as a part of India's lunar mission.

ISRO was in a position of launching commercial satellites of Italy and some European countries as it has acquired the necessary capability, he said.

Speaking on debris in space, Nair said a United Nations organisation was working on minimising it along with exploring the ways to get rid of them.