HAL wins bid to make small satellite launch vehicles
SSLV, the smallest rocket developed by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), is capable of carrying up to 500 kg payload to low-Earth orbit and can be assembled quickly for commercially launching small and nano satellites.
Indian fighter jet maker Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), a public sector company under the Ministry of Defence, has won the bid to privately make the country’s small satellite launch rockets.
HAL’s winning bid was INR 5.11 billion (USD 59 million), and the technology transfer phase from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is expected to take two years.
Alpha Design Technologies, Bharat Dynamics and HAL were the finalists to acquire India’s Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) technology, according to an earlier report by Reuters.
SSLV, the smallest rocket developed by ISRO capable of carrying up to 500 kg payload to low-Earth orbit, can be assembled quickly for commercially launching small and nano satellites, which are usually sent outside India for launch by foreign companies so far, according to a report by The Indian Express.
From August 2027, HAL can start manufacturing and offering commercial launches on its own and make changes to the design of the launch vehicle as well as suppliers to the components. However, 51% ownership has to remain with an Indian company, The Indian Express report said.
“This is one of the first instances of a space agency transferring complete launch vehicle technology to a company,” said Dr Pawan Goenka, Chairman of the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe), according to a report by CNBC. “HAL will now have the capability to independently build, own and commercialise SSLV launches.”
The global low Earth orbit launch vehicle market was valued at USD 13.9 billion in 2023 and is set to grow to USD 44 billion by 2032, according to Global Market Insights.