ISRO hands over 10 advanced technologies to Indian firms in major push for space commercialisation

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has transferred ten of its start-of-the-art technologies to six Indian industries across the upstream, midstream, and downstream segments. The tripartite Technology Transfer Agreements (TTAs), facilitated by the National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), were signed between NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), the recipient industries, and IN-SPACe.

The technology transfers aim to provide private players with the opportunity to access the developed technologies available from ISRO, enabling them to utilise space-related technology for commercial applications in space as well as other sectors. It also examines deepening industry participation, enabling indigenisation, and reducing dependency on foreign technologies in critical areas, including satellite launch, ground station infrastructure, and geospatial applications.

“The transfer of these technologies marks yet another significant step towards empowering the private sector to harness and commercialise space technologies. ISRO has a flourishing repository of R&D in space technologies. It is time we leverage that to the optimum to strengthen India’s space industrial ecosystem. In that, industry-led innovation will play a key role,” says Pawan Goenka, Chairman, IN-SPACe. 

Among the technologies transferred are two advanced inertial sensors—the Laser Gyroscope and the Ceramic Servo Accelerometer—developed by ISRO’s Inertial Systems Unit, for potential use in satellite launch vehicles. These technologies have been transferred to Zetatek Technologies Pvt. Ltd., Hyderabad, a company with over 25 years of expertise in Inertial Navigation System (INS) testing, calibration, and QA/QT equipment. It makes Zetatek the first company from India to acquire such a niche technology, which is currently being imported by different sectors.

In the midstream segment, three technologies related to ground station operations—S/X/Ka tri-band dual circular polarised monopulse feed, tri-axis antenna control servo system, and Ku/C/L and S Band Cassegrain feed—developed by ISRO have been transferred to Avantel and Jisnu Communications, both Hyderabad-based firms specialising in end-to-end communications solutions for space and defence platforms. These technologies, currently sourced from foreign vendors, will enable self-reliance in critical ground station infrastructure.

On the downstream front, two geospatial models developed by SAC/ISRO for pest forewarning and semi-physical crop yield estimation were transferred to Amnex Info Technologies, Ahmedabad, for deployment in agricultural decision-making and crop protection.

A compact, multi-parameter, portable bathymetry system developed by NRSC/ISRO has been transferred to Jalkruti Water Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Ahmedabad, to enable UAV-based integration for water resource monitoring.

Further, VSSC/ISRO’s ceramic-based flame-proof coating technology—initially developed for launch vehicle applications—has been acquired by Ramdev Chemicals, Ahmedabad, for wider industrial applications.         

IN-SPACe was established in June 2020 following the Central Government’s decision to open up the space sector and enable the participation of the Indian private sector in the gamut of space activities. It acts as a single-window, independent, nodal agency that functions as an autonomous entity within the Department of Space.