Bengaluru: ISRO and its commercial wing Antrix on Wednesday said they are willing to outsource manufacturing of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) so that the space agency could focus on the proposed human space programme.
The Indian Space Research Organisation held discussions a week ago with a consortium ofindustries regarding PSLV industrialisation with the objectiveof easing ISRO to focus on human space programme and researchand development activities.
“Definitely, in my opinion, in the ISRO activity, industry is going to play a major role. If only the industry is taking the load, ISRO can work out on human space programme and research and development activities,” ISRO chairman K Sivan said.
He said the industry should help in manufacturing PSLV as well as SSLV, adding ISRO had already worked out a model.
With this model in a year, the PSLV was supposed to be produced by the industry. “That is our ambition and target,” Sivan said.
He was addressing a press conference here to announce the Bengaluru Space Expo (BSX), a three-day event starting from September 6 at the Bengaluru International Exhibition Centre (BIEC).
BSX-2018 will have 100 exhibitors, 56 speakers and 600 official delegates participating.
There will be aseparate pavilion for human space programme or Gaganyaan, which was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his independence day address this year.
Modi had said an Indian astronaut would be sent to space by 2022. India will be the fourth country after the USA, Russia and China to send humans to space.
Sivan said informal discussions had been initiated with the Indian Air Force on selection of the crew. Once selected, it would take two-three years to train them.
He also said ISRO would need to take the help of a foreign country for advanced training of the crew.
On the PSLV outsourcing, the ISRO chief said industry partners Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Larsen and Tubro Godrej were among those who took part in the discussions. (PTI)
