BENGALURU: Along with manufacturing helicopters and fighter jets, the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will for the first time build small satellite launch vehicles (SSLVs), and has signed an MoU on this with Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and New Space India Limited (NSIL) on Friday.
Barenya Senapati, Director (Finance), HAL, told reporters on Friday that the defence public sector undertaking will manufacture SSLVs wherein ISRO will help in transferring technology to it.
“We have different capabilities and teams to work on the space sector. Building fighter jets’ and satellites will be handled differently,” he said.
SSLVs delays will cost HAL, says In-Space chief
The HAL bid a Rs 511 crore tender. The payments will be done in a phased manner over two years. It was one of the firms that bid along with Alpha Design Technologies Limited and Bharat Dynamics Limited, for the project called by IN-SPACe, which is a single-window, independent, nodal agency functioning as an autonomous agency in the Department of Space (DOS), formed as part of Space sector reforms to facilitate participation of private players.
Dr Pawan Goenka, Chairman, IN-SPACe, said ISRO is not supposed to build SSLVs. It works on PSLVs. As a part of the MoU, ISRO will hand-hold HAL for the first two years to help transfer technology in building, marketing and training in making SSLVs. During these two years, HAL will build two vehicles. From the third year, HAL will have the independence to partner with private firms and change vehicle designs, while complying with the Union government’s space policy and ISRO guidelines.
Radhakrishnan Durairaj, CMD, NSIL, said the space sector and technology has changed with satellites getting miniaturised and more constellations coming up. Pertaining to the query on HAL’s delays in executing projects, including building the PSLV with L&T and the concerns earlier raised by Air Chief Marshal AP Singh on delays in delivery of fighter aircraft to the IAF, Goenka said the PSLV cannot be compared with the SSLV and tenders were invited where HAL participated. Since it was the highest bidder, the project was awarded.
From August 2027, HAL will have to start delivering independently. It will have to ensure 6-8 launches every year. The financial burden of the delays will have to be borne by HAL, he said.
NSIL to launch 15 private payload SSLVs starting from October
BENGALURU: New Space India Limited (NSIL) will launch its first small satellite launch vehicles (SSLV) in partnership with private firms in October 2025 and February 2026. After which 15 more will be launched subsequently.
Radhakrishnan Durairaj, CMD, NSIL, on Friday said these skilled launches are based on the business in hand and demand. Earlier India did not have the space and technology to launch the SSLVs and it had to be done from the launch pads of other countries, but now after the creation of the SSLV Module in LEO Experiment (SMILE) platform developed by ISRO and Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), the launches can be done unhindered.
The SMILE platform, inspired from the PSLV Orbital Experimental Module, is a cost-effective platform for space technologies.
Durairaj said they were aiming to the launch the 15 satellites will not overlap with the ongoing works that are being done with ISRO and HAL. These works had commenced before entering into agreements with HAL.
He added that the space sector and technologies have changed with satellites getting miniaturised and more constellations are coming up. India is now making its presence more prominent in the space sector.