India Inc takes another step closer to making ISRO's PSLV rockets

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) achieved a noteworthy milestone on Friday in its bid to have the industry manufacture the highly successful Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). The propellant components for the solid motors were transported to the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota for the maiden flight of the industry-produced PSLV N1. The Department of Space, through its commercial arm NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), had in September last year placed a Rs 860 crore order with a consortium of L&T and HAL to build five PSLVs towards productionisation of the third generation launch vehicle of India. Productionisation in general refers to the process of turning a prototype of a design into a version that can be more easily mass-produced. The date of the inaugural flight of the PSLV N1 is yet to be finalised. As part of the initial phase of producing solid motors for the inaugural PSLV N1 launch, the consortium delivered the essential propellant ingredients at SDSC-SHAR, at an event attended by ISRO Chairman S Somanath and senior officials of ISRO, NSIL, L&T Defence and HAL officials.