ISRO slowly hiving off non-core work to private sector

[David James]

ISRO slowly hiving off non-core work to private sector


The move is helps the private sector play a major role in space exploration

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is going the National Aeronautics and Space Agency's (NASA) way. NASA is now focussing on only the high-end space research, leaving much of the routine jobs like building rockets, to the private sector.

The move is helps the private sector play a major role in space exploration, K Radhakrishnan, Chairman, ISRO, said here on Wednesday.

"While in 1984, there were only six firms that worked on ISRO's projects, today there are over 500 companies that are working with ISRO.

Today about 60 per cent of the budget for space research goes to the industry," he said.

With the cost of space exploration and space research shooting up, it has become now more prudent to hive off non-core business for space research agencies. The ISRO is now involved in "cutting-edge research and development" and is partnering with R&D labs for the same.

ISRO is also working to create hubs for making its rockets and satellites, with industry partners, in Bangalore, Sriharikota and in Ahmedabad.

Meanwhile, preparations by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) are in their final stages for launch of the GSAT 10 aboard an Ariane rocket from Kourou in French Guiana in South America.

The launch is scheduled for September 22, K Radhakrishnan, Chairman, ISRO, said here on the sidelines of the inauguration of the World Space-Biz-2012, an International Conference on Space Business.

Meanwhile, the ISRO, fresh from its successful 100th mission when it launched two foreign satellites from Sriharikota on September 9, is launching the communication satellite GSAT 10 which has 30 transponders that are in the KU band, C band and extended C band. The Ariane rocket with GSAT 10 is scheduled to life off from Kourou in French Guiana.

"The satellite is now being assembled into the Ariane launch vehicle. Preparations are on and once the satellite is injected into the orbit, ISRO's Master Control Facility in Hassan in Karnataka will take control and within two days it will be put in the geostationary orbit," he said.

Radhakrishnan said earth observation satellite Saral, the next in line for ISRO launches, was undergoing testing at ISRO Satellite Centre in the city and the launch vehicle booting will start after 25 days.

"Before the satellite is launched, we need to inspect the launch pad and make modifications and then we would plan the countdown," he added.

ISRO slowly hiving off non-core work to private sector

 

[Kyusuibu Honbu]

Very good news

 

[karan21]

Well its good news but it will increase space cost for India.

 

[RoYaL~GuJJaR]

Great News....!!

 

[Gessler]

Do it

101st mission is on Sep 22. 102nd mission maybe next month.

 

[karan21]

Do it

101st mission is on Sep 22. 102nd mission maybe next month.

Can you tell me what is 102nd mission about. Because last time I heard that Isro wants to launch 2 gslvs in a matter of 6 months. When is the next gslv mission???

 

[Gessler]

Can you tell me what is 102nd mission about. Because last time I heard that Isro wants to launch 2 gslvs in a matter of 6 months. When is the next gslv mission???

No I'm talking about the Indo-French SARAL earth-observation satellite that could be
launched next month, that's the 102nd mission IMO.

 

[arp2041]

Do it

101st mission is on Sep 22. 102nd mission maybe next month.

Can you tell me what is 102nd mission about. Because last time I heard that Isro wants to launch 2 gslvs in a matter of 6 months. When is the next gslv mission???

I got to know by media that if a rocket is made by ISRO than it is counted as a mission & if satellite is made by ISRO than it is counted as another mission + if both are made by ISRO than it is counted as two missions. So till now ISRO has made 62 satellites & 38 rockets which equals 100 missions.

So if i m correct the 101st mission u are reffering to is the INSAT 3D satellite on board a French rocket.

& 102nd will be Indo-French joint venture SARAL on board PSLV in December (not sure though).

+ a good article on ISRO's 100th mission by the Diplomat:

http://thediplomat.com/indian-decade/2012/09/11/indias-space-agency-conducts-100th-mission/

 

[subincb]

Most of work including engines like VIKAS in ISRO are now made by private industries. LPSC designs and test them and later transfers to private/public sector firms like godrej, Brahmos aerospace etc.

Most of the components in PSLV is Indian or an Indian version is under testing and soon to replace. This is through engaging private industry, ISRO helping them develop the technology and managing QA/QC standards.

 

[imperialmen]

My college is collaborating with ISRO. "Studsat" was also designed by our college (we were the 'lead' college).


Jealous bro?

 

[kurup]

A timeline of Isro’s journey


1962 – Indian National Committee for Space Research set up by the Department of Atomic Energy. Work starts on Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) in Kerala.

1963 – First sounding rocket launched from TERLS Nov 21.

1965 – Space Science and Technology Centre set up in Thumba.

1968 – Experimental Satellite Communication Earth Station set up in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

1969 – Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) formed Aug 15 under the Department of Atomic Energy.

1971 – Satish Dhawan Space Centre (formerly SHAR Centre) formed in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

1972 – Department of Space (DoS) established and ISRO brought under it. ISRO Satellite Centre set up in Bangalore and Space Applications Centre in Ahmedabad.

1975 – Satellite Instructional Television Experiment using an US satellite. First Indian satellite, Aryabhata, launched into space April 19.

1977 – Satellite Telecommuncation Experiments Project (1977-79) using Franco-German Symphonie Satellite.

1979 – Bhaskara-1, an earth observation experimental satellite, launched. First experimental launch of Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-3) carrying the Rohini satellite. The satellite not placed in the orbit.

1980 – Second experimental launch of SLV-3 with Rohini. Mission successful.

1981 – First developmental launch of SLV-3. Rohini placed into orbit. Launch of APPLE, an experimental geo-stationary communication satellite. Launch of Bhaskara-2 by an USSR rocket.

1982 – Launch of Insat-1A communication satellite by an US rocket.

1983 – Second developmental flight of SLV-3 placed Rohini into orbit. Insat system commissioned with launch to Insat-1B satellite.

1984 – First Indian cosmonaut, Rakesh Sharma, spends eight days in Russian space station Salyut 7. He flew in Russian rocket Soyuz T-11.

1987 – First development launch of Augmented SLV (ASLV) with satellite SROSS-1. Mission failed.

1988 – Launch of Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellite – IRA-1A through a Russian rocket. Second developmental flight of ASLV with SROSS satellite. Mission failed.

1991 – Launch of second operational remote sensing satellite IRS-1B.

1992 – First successful launch of ASLV placing SROSS-C satellite. Launch of Insat-2A, the first satellite of the indigenously-built second generation Insat series, followed by the 3 and 4 series.

1993 – First development flight of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) with IRS-1E. Mission failed.

1994 – Fourth developmental flight of ASLV with SROSS-C2. Mission successful. Successful launch of PSLV placing IRS-P2 in orbit.

1996 – Third developmental flight of PSLV with IRS-P3.

1997 – First operational launch of PSLV carrying IRS-1D.

1999 – PSLV started carrying foreign payloads (Korean and German satellites) along with ISRO’s satellite Oceansat.

2001 – Successful launch of heavy rocket Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) with GSAT-1 satellite. Launch of PSLV with India’s Technology Experimental Satellite and satellites from Belgium and Germany.

2002 – Launch of Kalpana-1 satellite on-board a PSLV rocket.

2003 – Launch of GSat-2 on board GSLV and Resourcesat-1 by PSLV.

2004 – Launch of Edusat by GSLV’s first operational flight.

2005 – Commissioning of second launch pad at Sriharikota. Launch of Cartosat-1 and Hamsat by PSLV.

2006 – Second operational flight of GSLV with Insat-4C. For the first time, an Indian rocket carried a communication satellite. The mission failed.

2007 – Launch of Cartosat-2 with Space Capsule Recovery Experiment and two foreign satellites and successful recovery of the space capsule. Launch of Italian satellite AGILE by PSLV and Insat-4CR by GSLV.

2008 – Launch of Israeli satellite Tecsar by PSLV. Launch of two Indian and eight foreign satellites by a single PSLV. India’s first moon mission Chandrayaan-1 by PSLV.

2009 – Launch of Radar Imaging Satellite (Risat-2) and Anusat from Anna University (first satellite from an Indian university) by PSLV. Launch of seven satellites by PSLV, including India’s Oceansat.

2010 – Failure of two GSLV missions. Launch of Cartosat-2B, STUDSAT and three small foreign satellites by PSLV.

2011 – Launch of Resourcest-2 and two small satellites by PSLV. Launch of GSAT-12 by PSLV. Launch of Megha Tropiques and three small satellites by PSLV.

2012 – Launch of Risat-1 by PSLV. Launch of French satellite SPOT 6 and Japanese satellite Proiteres.