NEW DELHI, 20 JUNE

In a major advancement, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has secured the bid for the transfer of technology of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV), developed by ISRO, to launch satellites weighing up to 500 kg into low Earth orbit. The announcement was made by Pawan Goenka, Chairman of the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre, during a virtual press conference.

Based in Bengaluru, HAL was the sole bidder for the project, surpassing two competing consortia led by Alpha Design Technologies, which is supported by Adani Defence Systems and Technologies, as well as Bharat Dynamics Limited, a state-owned enterprise.

Goenka stated that ISRO will support HAL for a period of two years, within which the public sector unit is expected to develop two rockets based on the existing design and suppliers. From the third rocket onward, HAL will have the freedom to enhance the design and choose its own vendors.

HAL's Director of Finance, B Senapati, expressed pride in the achievement, noting the SSLV's capacity to swiftly launch small satellites, a crucial capability for defence forces in emergencies. The SSLV is a three-stage vehicle designed for low-cost, rapid deployment with minimal infrastructure.