• Source:JND
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After seeing the success of ISRO’s various missions including the Chandrayaan-3 and Aditya-L1, as many as 23 companies have expressed interest in acquiring the Indian space agency’s Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) technology, news agency PTI reported citing a top official. However, the ISRO will facilitate the transfer of technology (ToT) for the SSLV to only one private company.

SSLV is a small-lift three-stage launch vehicle developed by ISRO which is capable of launching a 500kg satellite in a 500-kilo planar orbit.

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According to the ISRO, the main features of SSLV include low cost, low turn-around time, flexibility in accommodating multiple satellites, launch-on-demand feasibility, and minimal launch infrastructure requirements.

The Transfer of Technology (ToT) was started by the Department of Space by India's space sector reforms, that encourage greater private participation in the space sector.

Chairman of the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), Pawan K Goenka on Thursday said that they are interested in seeing how the private sector uses the SSLV technology.

"There has been a tremendous response, 23 companies have (so far) shown interest in applying for this technology. Of course, only one of them will get it," Goenka said while speaking at the International Conference on Space 2023, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

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“Technology transfer is something we are working on very aggressively because we really want to see how ISRO's technology is leveraged by private sector. A lot is happening in that area and the biggest one is of course SSLV technology transfer, where we are transferring the launch vehicle lock, stock, and barrel completely to the private sector,” the IN-SPACe chairman further said, as quoted by news agency PTI.

What Is IN-SPACe?

Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe) is an independent, single-window, nodal agency that works as an autonomous agency under the Department of Science (DOS).

SSLV is a small-lift three-stage launch vehicle developed by ISRO which is capable of launching a 500kg satellite in a 500-kilo planar orbit. (Image: ANI)

It was established in 2020 to promote, enable, authorise, and supervise non-government entities (NGEs) to engage in space activities. The agency issued an Expression of Interest (EOI) in July for the transfer of technology (ToT) of SSLV, with a response deadline of September 25.