ISRO to offer commercial services through NSIL

BENGALURU: The Indian Space Research Organisation aims to eventually mass produce space technology through its commercial arm NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), R Umamaheshwaran, ISRO Scientific Secretary, said on Tuesday.The responsibility entrusted to NSIL, which was established in March 2019, has become more complex with more capital intensive activities, Umamaheshwaran said while talking about reforms approved by the government in the space sector. 

“All technology spin offs that we (ISRO) have, will be offered for mass production. We have to convert some of the space-based technology which may not be commercially viable, into that which is commercially viable. The responsibility will be given to NSIL,” Umamaheshwaran said, adding that NSIL will eventually own satellites. While this announcement is yet to be made officially, a top official in the space agency told TNIE that satellite production was not a demand-driven structure. 

“Earlier, ISRO had an assessment mechanism. Based on assessment, they approached the government for funds and the government funded the commercial satellites. But the government need not spend thousands of crores in building the commercial satellite. Hence, they decided that satellites have to be built based on commercial demand,” the official told TNIE.

Unlike ISRO, NSIL will now build satellites and launch them as per demand, the officials said. It will also build launch vehicles such as SSLV, GSLV and GSLV Mk 3 through Indian industries. It will also own ISRO’s satellites and space assets, and act as a satellite operator, Umamaheshwaran said.