ISRO to Hand Over 50% PSLV Development to Indian Industry

New Delhi: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman V. Narayanan recently announced that ISRO intends to outsource approximately 50 percent of its flagship Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) development process to a consortium of Indian industries. He lauded the capabilities of the Indian aerospace, defense, and engineering sectors, stating that currently, about 80-85 percent of the systems for ISRO's missions are being manufactured by this industry. PSLV and Industry Participation Narayanan stated that the first PSLV rocket, considered India's workhorse rocket, has been manufactured by an Indian consortium (led by HAL and L&T). ISRO Launches GSAT-7R: Indian navy gets its most advanced communication satellite yet It is planned for launch by the end of the financial year, by February. Following this, ISRO aims to directly award at least 50 percent of the PSLV development work to the Indian industry consortium. He cited the CMS-03 mission as an example, where the industry's contribution to the manufacturing of the heavy communication satellite was 80 percent. ISRO's Key Achievements NISAR Satellite Mission A joint project between NASA and ISRO with an investment of Rs 10,300 crore. The entire satellite was manufactured by industry in India and launched by an Indian rocket. Lunar Success On August 23, 2023, India achieved a successful landing near the lunar south pole, a significant achievement in global space science. Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan) Traveled a distance of 600 million kilometers. The engine performed flawlessly even after 295 days. Self-Reliance in Cryogenic Technology. Denied this technology in the 1990s, India has now developed three indigenous cryogenic systems. Contribution of Industry and Startups Approximately 450 industries are contributing to ISRO's missions. Over 330 startups are now involved in space programs. The technology for the design and production of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) has been transferred to HAL and private industries. India's New Space Power: ISRO launches Navy’s most advanced Satellite GSAT-7R Future Plans ISRO currently operates 56 satellites, a number that is expected to increase three to four times in the coming years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set a target of increasing the number of annual launches from 10–12 to approximately 50 in the next five years. Recently, HCL and ISRO jointly developed a 32-bit indigenous computer processor, a significant step towards self-reliance in electronics.