ISRO opens up satellite making to industry

ISRO opens up satellite making to industry

Context

• The Bengaluru-based ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC), which has so far produced about 90 Indian spacecraft invited single or combined industries to apply for this opportunity.

What is the length of the contract?

• ISAC would sign a three-year contract with the finalists, train, handhold and supervise their teams in making its range of satellites at its facility.
• The first lot of spacecraft from this exercise was expected in about six months from the signing of the contracts. This is also roughly the normal time taken to assemble a satellite.
• The contract mentions milestone payments, assigning of new spacecraft upon delivery; and a possible renewal of contract after three years.

What made ISRO open doors to satellite making?

• The manpower of ISAC/ISRO is not adequate for meeting both the increased load of making more satellites and for the research and development that might be useful for future satellites.
• The present bid to outsource our AIT will may allow them to re-deploy their human resources effectively and focus on research and development.
• ISRO needs to make 12-18 diverse spacecraft a year, thus search is on for 5-6 teams to make communication, remote sensing and navigation spacecraft
• First satellites from this effort are targeted to be out in 2018                 
• Industry to be trained in all the current types of Indian satellites
• ISRO satellite center, Bengaluru to uphold and supervise all activities

Why is it necessary?

• ISRO’s this year’s annual budget stands at around $1.4 billion even after a substantial hike, which are peanuts when compared to NASA’s 19.1 billion.
• The Indian Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Forests had asked for a 50% hike, while ISRO chairman stressed on the need for “for manpower for producing various satellites and also bolster the R&D set up to develop new generation satellite and launch vehicles”.
• In the $ 339-billion global space industry, satellite manufacturing accounts for 8% or $13.9 billion

Important missions

• Although the goal is to get vendors to realise satellites “end to end”, ISAC would retain important and scientific missions.