ISRO's commercial arm signs deal with Australia for satellite launch
The Australian government has signed an $18 million memorandum of understanding (MoU) with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), the commercial division of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The announcement was made in New Delhi by Australian high commissioner Philip Green. As part of this agreement, Australian firm Space Machines will launch its largest satellite to date aboard ISRO's Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) in 2026.
ISRO's ambitious plans for SSLV launches
ISRO's chairman, S Somanath, revealed the organization's goal to achieve 20-30 SSLV launches annually. This target is based on the expected demand for small satellite launch rockets. "The partnership will lead to Australian satellites being launched into orbit from Indian soil," Green stated at the Indian Space Congress 2024, highlighting the significance of this collaboration.
Privatization of SSLV and future of India's space economy
The collaboration will involve several stakeholders in India's private space economy, including Ananth Technologies, a domestic space engineering firm. Pawan Goenka, chairman of the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (In-Space), confirmed that the SSLV was being privatized and the bidding process was still ongoing. Somanath also discussed the need for more capacity to reach lunar orbit and return to Earth, projecting an Indian Moon landing by 2040.
Joint space conferences and investment in India's space economy
ISRO and the Australian government have announced plans for joint space conferences in November to encourage further collaboration between the two space economies. This agreement comes amid a downturn in India's commercial space activities. Despite this, the partnership represents one of India's first cross-border investments in the space sector since its privatization in 2020, with its private space economy attracting $370 million so far.
