HAL ISRO SSLV Tech: India has taken a big step in growing its space business by giving the technology of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) to Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL). The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is handing over this rocket technology to HAL through a formal agreement worth ₹511 crore.
The government held a tough bidding process to choose the right company for this project. HAL won after competing with two other strong teams one led by Alpha Design Technologies with Agnikul Cosmos and Walchand Industries, and the other by Bharat Dynamics Ltd with Skyroot Aerospace, Keltron, and BHEL.
This is the first time that in India that a company from the public sector will take full charge of building and launching SSLV rockets from start to finish. Until now, only ISRO did this work. With this transfer, HAL will now be able to build, own, and launch these rockets by itself.
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“Under this technology transfer agreement, HAL will have the capability to independently build, own and commercialise SSLV launches,” said Pawan Goenka, chairman of IN-SPACe. The agreement also includes training by ISRO experts at both ISRO’s and HAL’s sites. This will help HAL build and launch two SSLVs within the next two years, reported Business Standard.
SSLV is a small and cheap rocket made by ISRO. It can carry satellites up to 500 kg into low-Earth orbit. It was designed to help meet the growing demand for small satellite launches. With this technology in hand, HAL will help make India a key player in this market. In the coming years, experts believe that India could see up to 12 SSLV launches a year.
Radhakrishnan Durairaj, the chairman and managing director of NewSpace India Ltd (NSIL), said, “We are pleased to be part of this SSLV technology transfer process that would enable HAL to develop this launch vehicle that would cater to launch-on-demand needs of global small satellite customers.”
India is already working on rockets like the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), and HAL is part of that effort too, along with L&T. with SSLV also in its hands, HAL is becoming a major part of India’s space missions. This transfer also shows how serious India is about letting private companies take part in space. A government statement said this move supports the goal of giving Indian industry a bigger role in space work and increasing the number of small satellite launches from India.
India wants to grow its space economy to $44 billion by 2033. Pawan Goenka said this technology transfer is a big moment for the country’s commercial space journey.
“As India looks at realising the $44 billion space economy earmarked for 2033, it is imperative to enable a robust public-private partnership model,” he said. Rajeev Jyoti, director at IN-SPACe, also praised all three bidders for showing strong skills during the selection. He said, “The three bidders demonstrated a high level of technical competency to absorb the technology, and we appreciate the earnest effort put in by all three bidders.”
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HAL’s chairman and managing director D K Sunil shared his excitement about this partnership, saying, “In this milestone, India’s national ambition takes priority. We’re looking forward to working closely under ISRO and IN-SPACe’s guidance to progress in phases and realise the end objectives. We’re confident of steering a cohesive ecosystem that enables more small satellite launches from India’s ports.”
