In a first, ISRO embraces private sector

The Indian space establishment has crossed a new threshold, engaging for the first time a private sector industry to make a full multi-crore, heavy duty satellite. Having been unable to keep pace with satellite fabrication, ISRO has now roped in the private industry to bridge the gap. A consortium led by Alpha Design Technologies, Bengaluru, is tasked with making two full satellites for India’s navigation system. 

After almost 150 missions and three decades of space faring, the ISRO is on a mission like never before, handholding the private industry to make a full navigation satellite. 

A team of 70 engineers is working hard to make a flight ready satellite in the next six months. Colonel H S Shankar, the man who helped India get its first bulk supply of EVMs, is leading the consortium and he is keeping a hawk’s eye on the fabrication process. Shankar, Chairman-cum-Managing Director of Alpha Design Technologies, says, “It is a challenging task for any Indian company to undertake assembly, integration and testing of a satellite and that too for the first time in India.”

The ISRO also wants to seed an ecosystem where the private sector takes a lead in the future. 

M Annadurai, Director of ISRO Satellite Centre in Bengaluru, says, “Basically there is a gap between what we are capable of doing now versus what we are supposed to make. There is a gap between the requirement and our capability. That gap we want to fill up with support from the industry.” Satellite fabrication requires high precision as these birds cost hundreds of crores of rupees and after the launch they remain functional for up to 10 years without the need for repair. Annadurai added, no other facility like this exists anywhere in the world and is a giant leap for the Indian space industry.