HAL To Make Rockets For ISRO, Signs SSLV Technology Transfer Agreement With Space Agency

New Delhi: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has signed a technology transfer agreement with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the production of Small Satellite Launch Vehicles (SSLV), a three-stage vehicle designed to launch satellites weighing less than 500 kg into Lower Earth Orbit (LEO).

Facilitated by space sector promoter Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (INSPACe), it is the 100th such transfer of technology agreement. Notably, HAL outbid a consortium led by Adani Group-backed Alpha Design Technologies and inked the agreement with ISRO, NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), and INSPACe, marking a significant step in industry participation in the space sector.

INSPACe stated that the goal is to complete the entire technology transfer process within two years from the date of signing of the agreement. During this period, the Indian space agency will provide HAL with the necessary training and technical support to facilitate the acquisition of expertise in Small Satellite Launch Vehicles (SSLV), the statement added.

In a statement, HAL said that the agreement grants it a non-exclusive, non-transferable license to the SSLV technology, which includes comprehensive design, manufacturing, quality control, integration, launch operations, and post-flight analysis documentation, as well as training and support. Following the absorption of technology in the first two years, HAL will follow with a 10-year production phase.

HAL's efforts will not only ensure indigenous manufacturing of SSLVs but also create new opportunities for Indian MSMEs, start-ups, and the wider industrial ecosystem, the company stated, adding that it would be responsible for the mass production of SSLVs to meet Indian and global demands.

D K Sunil, CMD, HAL, said, “HAL will work closely with IN-SPACe, ISRO, and NSIL to absorb, indigenise, and commercialise the SSLV technology, ensuring the highest standards of quality and reliability in small satellite launch services."

Speaking on the occasion, ISRO Chairman V Narayanan said, "With India's liberalisation of the commercial space sector, opportunities are certainly growing. At ISRO, we have a dynamic technology transfer mechanism to realise shared goals."

The space agency will guide the HAL team on the preparedness-to-flight tangent of SSLVs that would define the next phase of deep-tech collaboration in space in India, he added.

INSPACe chairman Pawan Kumar Goenka said that the collaboration among ISRO, HAL, NSIL, and INSPACe for the SSLV technology transfer marked a significant step forward in the initiative. He added that it aligned with the Government of India's vision to strengthen the space sector and position India as a leading global centre for cost-effective and dependable launch services. The agreement, he said, will allow HAL to independently take up the realisation of SSLV and cater to both domestic and international markets.

Sunil said that HAL would leverage its engineering and manufacturing capabilities to produce SSLVs, train the necessary workforce, and work towards establishing a self-reliant ecosystem. He noted that this effort aimed to enable India to provide consistent, cost-effective small-satellite launch services to both domestic and international clients.