Unlocking Opportunities: ISRO’s Bold Move to Shift 50% of PSLV Development to Industry Consortium, Reveals V. Narayanan

Bengaluru: ISRO Chairman V Narayanan recently announced that the organization aims to hand over 50% of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) development to Indian industry. He emphasized the growing capabilities of India’s aerospace and defense sectors. Currently, these industries already contribute about 80-85% of the systems for ISRO’s space missions.

Narayanan highlighted the collaboration with Indian firms, particularly the consortium led by HAL and L&T, that produced the first rocket for the PSLV. This rocket is set to launch by February of next year and is a significant step for India’s space journey.

Speaking at the India Manufacturing Show, Narayanan mentioned ISRO’s reliance on domestic partners. For instance, Indian industries played a crucial role in the CMS-03 mission, contributing to the heaviest communication satellite launched using the LMV3-M5 rocket.

Reflecting on ISRO’s history, he traced its beginnings back to November 21, 1963, when a small US-made rocket was launched from India. Fast forward to July this year, and ISRO successfully launched the NISAR satellite, a joint project with NASA that represents an investment of ₹10,300 crore.

Narayanan noted that around 450 Indian industries are now involved in ISRO missions, a notable increase after recent government reforms in the space sector. He pointed out that while just a few startups were operating in this field years ago, there are now over 330 active startups working in space technology.

Another exciting development is the transfer of technology for the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) to HAL through a ₹511 crore agreement, which will allow the production of 16 SSLVs in the private sector.

ISRO’s recent achievements include a successful soft landing near the Moon’s South Pole on August 23, 2023, making India the first country to reach this region. Narayanan also celebrated the Mars Orbiter Mission, stating it was a remarkable feat, as the spacecraft traveled 600 million kilometers and successfully restarted its engine after 295 days.

He noted India’s impressive advancements, including the development of three indigenous cryogenic propulsion systems, valuable since such technology was once denied to India in the early 1990s.

On January 29, 2024, ISRO completed its 100th rocket launch, marking a pivotal point in India’s space exploration history. Narayanan also mentioned the recent creation of a 32-bit indigenous computer processor, a collaboration between HCL and ISRO, which moves India closer to electronics independence.

Currently, India operates 56 satellites for communication, navigation, and Earth observation. The plan is to increase this capacity significantly, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi setting a goal to raise the number of annual launches from 10-12 to around 50 within five years.



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ISRO CHAIRMAN V NARAYANAN, PSLV DEVELOPMENT, ISRO, ISRO WANTS TO TRANSFER 50 PER CENT OF PSLV DEVELOPMENT TO INDUSTRY CONSORTIUM, SAYS V NARAYANAN