ISRO to Transfer SSLV to the Private Sector, Says ISRO Chairman S Somanath

NEW DELHI: In response to the rising demand for small satellites, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) declared on Monday that it will hand over ownership of its Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) to the private sector. With two development flights under its belt, the SSLV aims to offer on-demand services to launch satellites up to 500 kg into low-Earth orbit.

On July 10, SIA India hosted the India Space Congress, where ISRO Chairman S Somanath announced that the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is developing its own satellites and sharing the technology behind its Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) with the business community.

In order to mass produce and market its own SSLV, which can launch satellites weighing up to 500 kg into low-Earth orbit, Somanath claimed that ISRO has created its own SSLV.

In addition, he claimed that ISRO is creating "intelligent" geostationary communication satellites that can be reconfigured based on client demand by altering their frequencies and bandwidth.

These software-driven high throughput satellites will be developed soon and made available to customers as a commercial solution, he noted.

He continued by saying that, as part of the Space Policy 2022, in contrast to the past when they were only owned by the ISRO and the defence, imaging satellites will now also be owned by private enterprises. According to him, this will open up the space industry to further applications and developments.

The SSLV, the sixth launch vehicle created by ISRO, has completed two test flights in February and August of this year. The SSLV's inaugural flight in August of last year was unsuccessful as a result of vibration disturbance that occurred briefly on the Equipment Bay deck during the second-stage separation.

The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicles (PSLVs), the ISRO's workhorse rocket with 54 successful launches, were the subject of an award last year from the ISRO to a group led by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and Larsen & Toubro.

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