2 days ago
HAL bags Rs 511 crore deal to acquire ISRO's SSLV rocket tech
Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd
(HAL) has emerged as the winning bidder for the transfer of Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) small satellite launch vehicle (SSLV) technology, marking one of the most significant technology transfers from the space agency to a commercial entity. The deal is worth Rs 511 crore.
Under the agreement, HAL will independently build, own, and operate SSLV rockets, with ISRO providing training and handholding for two missions over the next two years, the space regulator and promoter, the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), announced on Friday.
Among the three bidders, the public sector undertaking (PSU) HAL's standalone bid beat the Adani-backed Alpha Design Technologies consortium, comprising Agnikul Cosmos and Walchand Industries. The second consortium was led by
Bharat Dynamics
along with Skyroot Aerospace, Keltron, and BHEL to win the ₹511-crore tender.
'This is one of the first instances of a space agency transferring complete launch vehicle technology to a company. Under this transfer agreement, HAL will have the capability to independently build, own, and commercialise SSLV launches,' said Pawan Goenka, Chairman, IN-SPACe.
HAL aims to manufacture 6-8 SSLV rockets per year, depending on demand, and is expected to generate about $6.5 million in revenue per launch. SSLV is a three-stage, solid-propulsion rocket by ISRO to launch small satellites of about 500 kg into a 500 km orbit. It's designed to be cost-effective and flexible, offering launch-on-demand capabilities with reduced turnaround times.
'The system is multidisciplinary in nature and will require rigorous training of HAL personnel at both ISRO and HAL sites,' said Rajeev Jyoti, director, technical directorate at IN-SPACe.
Discover the stories of your interest
Blockchain
5 Stories
Cyber-safety
7 Stories
Fintech
9 Stories
E-comm
9 Stories
ML
8 Stories
Edtech
6 Stories
IN-SPACe added that a rigorous eligibility and evaluation framework was followed. 'The process, which continued for several months, culminated in the financial bid evaluation, where HAL emerged as the highest bidder to acquire and operationalise
SSLV technology
,' it said in a statement.
The SSLV technology transfer will be formalised through an agreement involving HAL, ISRO, NewSpace India Ltd (NSIL) and IN-SPACe.
HAL's director finance Barenya Senapati said winning the bid was in line with HAL's larger goal of entering the space sector in a bigger way than it has been doing in the past. He added that the new portfolio will not affect its current operations.
HAL and Larsen & Toubro (L&T) are already jointly building ISRO's trusted Polar Satellite Launch Vehicles (PSLV) rockets under a contract with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL). The contract for five PSLV rockets is worth Rs 860 crore, that is, each PSLV rocket costs approximately Rs 172 crore to build.
Following the announcement of the winning bid, shares of HAL settled 1.18% higher at Rs 4,960 on Friday.
