ISRO’s space park coming up in Bengaluru

MYSURU: In a first, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is setting up a space park on the outskirts of Bengaluru to house private firms which would manufacture critical systems and components for Indian and foreign satellites, Dr Mylswamy Annadurai, director of ISRO’s Satellite Centre (ISAC), said on Monday.

With the space agency set to launch one satellite almost every month for communications, remote sensing or navigation, space scientists at ISAC would find it difficult to meet the deadlines for manufacture of all systems, transponders and components and therefore would gradually get the private sector to roll out various packages which meet international standards. Initially, ISRO would provide support to these firms and carry out quality checks of all systems and components made by them.

“We have told them (private industries) to increase their capacity building or join us at the space park and make components and other parts for our satellites, as they have been already using our own facilities,” Dr Annadurai told media persons on the sidelines of Indian Science Congress here, adding that at a later stage, they could cater to the demands of foreign space agencies which manufacture and launch satellites. Eventually, ISAC plans to allow India Inc. to manufacture satellites end-to-end, including integration and testing, before their launch from Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota Range in Andhra Pradesh. “The space park will also contribute to the government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative, as the private industry and public sector companies like HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd) have been helping us in making rockets and satellites over the years,” he added.

Dr Annadurai said ISRO would launch its fifth regional navigation satellite on January 20 to provide terrestrial and aerial services in the region. “The fifth regional navigation satellite system (IRNSS-1E) is on the launch pad and we are loading fuel to the rocket for its launch on January 20 from our spaceport,” he said adding that launch of sixth satellite (IRNSS-1F) would follow in mid-February and seventh satellite (IRNSS-1G) of the seven-satellite constellation in Earth’s lower orbit by March 31.

The system’s first four satellites were launched and placed in the observational orbit between July 2013 and March 2015. The navigation system would be used for disaster management, vehicle tracking and fleet management, integration with mobile phones, mapping and geodetic data capture, visual and voice navigation for drivers and others. The system would provide information and data in the Indian region.