In a landmark move for India's space ambitions, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have signed the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) Technology Transfer Agreement today.
The agreement was formalized at Bengaluru with HAL CEO Jayakrishnan S, VSSC Director Dr. A. Rajarajan, NSIL Chairman Shri M. Mohan, and IN-SPACe Director (Technical) Mr. Rajeev Jyoti signing the document. The ceremony was attended by top officials including HAL CMD Dr. D. K. Sunil, ISRO Chairman Dr. V. Narayanan, and IN-SPACe Chairman Dr. Pawan Kumar Goenka, alongside HAL directors and senior scientists.
The SSLV is a three-stage launch vehicle designed to place satellites weighing less than 500 kg into Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Under this agreement, HAL will integrate the technology over the next two years, followed by a 10-year production phase. The transfer grants HAL a non-exclusive, non-transferable license covering SSLV's design, manufacturing, quality control, integration, launch operations, post-flight analysis, and training.
This technology transfer empowers HAL to build, own, and operate the SSLV, marking a strategic shift from being a component supplier to becoming a full-fledged launch service provider. HAL will also handle the mass production of SSLV to cater to domestic and global small satellite demands.