BENGALURU: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is looking to massively ramp up its ties with private industry in the future after collaborating with them recently in the creation of two satellites.
The country’s premier space agency, which has been a staunch advocate of participation in space exploration by private players, is now reaching out to several companies to form joint ventures.
M Annadurai, Director, ISRO Satellite Centre told Express that the Centre is getting ready to make 18 satellites annually due to the demand for them from various sectors. “At present, we are able to make four or five annually. Roping in private players who will chip in with the technical expertise will help us develop the requisite number of satellites,” he said. The IRNSS-1H (back up navigation satellite Navic with a new atomic clock) was the first to be contracted by ISRO to a consortium of small firms headed by Alpha Design Technologies, a Bengaluru-based aerospace firm. It was launched on August 31. The team is working on the second satellite IRNSS-1I now.
ISRO fully funds manufacture of these satellites that cost between `150 crore and `850 crore, he said. “Our existing manpower is not enough to produce more number of satellites. So we are welcoming onboard private partnership,” he explained.ISRO has built a space park where the second satellite that is being built with private partners is housed. “There is enough space here for more private players to collaborate with us,” Annadurai said.