ISRO and Hindustan Aeronautics enhance space mission capabilities with new facilities

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) have taken a significant step forward in bolstering India’s space mission capabilities. Today, S. Somanath, Chairman of ISRO, inaugurated state-of-the-art Propellant Tank Production and CNC Machining facilities at HAL’s Aerospace Division. The ceremony was attended by C B Ananthakrishnan, CMD (Additional Charge) of HAL, and senior officers from both organizations.

Boosting Production for India’s Most Powerful Rocket

The newly established facilities are set to dramatically increase ISRO’s production capacity, particularly for the Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3), India’s heaviest and most powerful rocket. Previously, the existing infrastructure could only accommodate two LVM3 launches per year. However, ISRO’s requirements have grown to six launches annually. These new facilities will close this gap, enabling HAL to manufacture sufficient critical components to meet the demand for six LVM3 rockets per year.

Somanath praised HAL’s contribution and potential, stating, “HAL has enormous capacities and this potential should be explored in the larger interest of both the organizations. HAL will play a larger role in ISRO’s future missions hence should focus on emerging technologies, designing challenges and take up end-to-end tasks to ease pressure on ISRO.”

Accelerating Human Spaceflight and Next-Generation Vehicles

C B Ananthakrishnan highlighted the ongoing collaboration’s impact on accelerating human spaceflight missions and the development of Next-Generation Launch Vehicles (NGLV). “There are significant opportunities to work with ISRO and HAL is committed to invest further to unlock the full potential in space programs. The day is not far off when Space becomes an important vertical of HAL,” he remarked.

During the inauguration, a symbolic gesture was made with the handover of the first Gaganyaan Service Module and LVM3 Yz U Isogrid Version Hardware to ISRO. This marks a milestone in the collaboration between ISRO and HAL in advancing India’s space capabilities.

Specialized Manufacturing Capabilities

The Propellant Tank Production Facility is tailored for the production of high-performance fuel and oxidizer tanks, which are critical for the LVM3 launch vehicle. These tanks, measuring 4m in diameter and up to 15m in length, are essential for the success of the missions. The CNC Machining Facility is equipped with advanced Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machines capable of handling high-precision fabrication of 4.5m class rings and propellant tank domes for LVM3.

Present at the event were also Dr. V Narayanan, Director of the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), Mr. M Mohan, Director of the Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC), Mr. Mihir Kanti Mishra, CEO of HAL (Bangalore Complex), and Mr. S Anbuvelan, CEO of the Helicopter Complex.

The strategic expansion of these facilities signifies a major leap in self-reliance for India’s aerospace capabilities. By enhancing production capacities and integrating cutting-edge technologies, ISRO and HAL are setting the stage for more ambitious and frequent space missions, which will have profound implications for both national pride and technological advancement.