The blandly-named Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) is the most technologically challenging project so far undertaken by the Indian space programme and carries the hopes and aspirations of thousands of scientists, engineers and industrialists.

The three-stage GSLV is due to blast off from the Sriharikota launch site in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh during a four-hour window period beginning at around 4:00pm (1030 GMT) on Wednesday.

It will attempt to place a 1.54 tonne experimental satellite GSAT-1 in a geosynchronous orbit.

A copybook flight would signal a quantum shift towards self-reliance in rocketry, and secure a significant foothold for India in the multi billion-dollar satellite launch market -- currently dominated by the United States, the European consortium Arianspace, Russia and relative newcomer China.

According to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), India is well-placed to grab a lucrative slice of the market.

"If we cater to a niche market for two-tonne satellites, I am sure many countries will be interested in our vehicle," ISRO chairman K. Kasturirangan told AFP.

The cost of launching a satellite aboard the GSLV has been estimated at between 15,000 dollars to 16,000 dollars per kilogram.

"This is quite competitive when compared with some other contemporary launch vehicles," Kasturirangan said.

The GSLV has been 10 years in the making, during which time the project's cost has almost doubled from 7.6 billion rupees (165 million dollars) to 14 billion rupees.

India's rocket programme has not run particularly smoothly.

Previous launch vehicles, with satellite payloads ranging from 40 kilograms to one tonne have failed to place their satellites in the correct orbits, placing even more pressure on the performance of the GSLV.

"We are keeping our fingers crossed," admitted Kasturirangan.

"We have tested it extensively on the ground, but there's a difference between what happens on the ground and during the flight itself."

GSLV project director R.V. Perumal said the rocket would benefit from the lessons learned from launches involving its predecessor, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).

"We are confident, because this is not really our first flight, but sixth, as most of the experience of the PSLVs has gone into it," Perumal said.

The level of national pride riding on Wednesday's launch was heightened by a dispute with the United States which almost derailed the entire project.

In 1992, the United States slapped a two-year technology embargo after one of its companies, General Dynamics, unsuccessfully negotiated for a contract to provide the cryogenic engines for the GSLV.

ISRO then signed a 120 million dollar contract with the Russian space agency Glavcosmos to acquire two flight-worthy cryogenic engines, with the deal including an important technology transfer component.

Washington intervened, saying the technology transfer would be in violation of the Missile Technology Control Regime, and a fresh contract had to be signed with Glavcosmos in 1993 under which the transfer was denied.

The Russians handed over the first cryogenic engine in September 1998.

India started work on developing its own cryogenic engine in 1994, and have so far achieved a test-firing of 13 seconds.

"That test gave us confidence about design and performance," said G. Madhavan Nair, director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in the southern state of Kerala.

"In the next two years, we will achieve a firing of 1,000 seconds. We have done reasonably well in these six years, establishing the facilities, developing an engine, and taking it to the test bed," Nair said.

"Other countries have taken 10 to 15 years."

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