ISRO Transfers 10 Technologies To Industry To Boost Self Reliance

The ISRO transferred 10 technologies, including two inertial sensors to reduce import dependence, to six Indian industries for commercial use in space and other sectors, India’s space sector promoter said on Thursday.

The transfer of technology was facilitated by the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe).

Technologies of two advanced inertial sensors – the Laser Gyroscope and the Ceramic Servo Accelerometer – developed by the ISRO’s Inertial Systems Unit were transferred to Hyderabad-based Zetatek Technologies Pvt. Ltd, making it the first company to get the niche technology.

Zetatek, a company with over 25 years of expertise in Inertial Navigation System (INS) testing, calibration and QA/QT equipment, will manufacture the sensors in the country which may help reduce import dependence.

"The transfer of these technologies marks yet another significant step towards empowering the private sector to harness and commercialize space technologies", IN-SPACe Chairman Pawan Goenka said in a statement.

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 the 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.

The technology transfers aim to give private players an opportunity to access the developed technologies available with the ISRO, enabling them to use space-related technology for commercial applications in space as well as other sectors, a statement from IN-SPACe said.

The tripartite Technology Transfer Agreements (TTAs) were signed between NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), the recipient industries, and IN-SPACe at the IN-SPACe headquarters in Ahmedabad.

"ISRO has a flourishing repository of R&D in space technologies and it is time we leverage that to the optimum to strengthen India’s space industrial ecosystem, and in that, industry-led innovation will play a key role," Goenka said.

"These technologies are vital and currently sourced from foreign suppliers. With this transfer, we are taking a pivotal step toward building indigenous capabilities within India," said Rajeev Jyoti, Director, Technical Directorate, IN-SPACe.

Jyoti said the ISRO, IN-SPACe and NSIL will collaboratively provide comprehensive handholding support to all the industry players to ensure successful absorption of the technology.

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, to be deployed 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.

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