Since inception of Indian Space program, ISRO has been consciously nurturing the Indian industries for utilising their expertise for advancement of space program and also for wider dissemination of technological benefits through know how transfer in a wide range of disciplines. ISRO has made it a policy to involve Industry to commercialise matured technologies that may find commercial or societal applications. In such transfer of technologies, ISRO also keeps an option to buy back products so developed, wherever found feasible and necessary. Transfer of Technologies (TT) is effected by granting a non-exclusive, revocable license to third parties enabling them to use the technology commercially, whereas the intellectual property rights are kept with ISRO.

This systematic and well defined policy of ISRO has yielded substantial results in terms of gearing up significant industrial participation in the space programme through provision of various products and services by industry relevant to applications involving space systems such as launch vehicles, satellites, antenna, communications, broadcasting, navigation, meteorological services, Image processing, geo-spatial information services, etc., Industries in the large, medium and small-scale sectors have largely been beneficiaries of the technology transfer scheme. Over 300 technologies have been transferred so far to Indian industries, and licensee industries continue to productionise and market the products licensed by ISRO.

The technology transfer mechanism established during early eighties enables licensing of know-how from various ISRO centres for commercial exploitation. Major ISRO centres have a dedicated Technology Transfer Division to coordinate the Technology Transfer activities. Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram and Space Applications Centre (SAC), Ahmedabad are the two major centres transferred more than 100 technologies to the industries. VSSC has transferred 151 technologies to Industries so far. The first TT was in 1975 for Rate Gyroscope (MRG-74) to HAL, Lucknow which has produced and supplied more than 200 gyroscopes to VSSC.

In this context, SAC has signed the 100th Technology Transfer agreement for the production and marketing of 15W C-Band Solid State Power Amplifier (SSPA) extensively used in Communication satellites on November 18, 2015. The first TT agreement by SAC was signed in the year 1977 for the Digital Time Base Corrector (DTBC) with M/s Gujarat Communications Electronics Ltd (GCEL), Vadodara. Since then SAC has developed many technologies for ISRO projects. Subsequently, based on its application, technologies were transferred to Indian industries for further productionisation. Prominent space applications from SAC includes Radio Networking Terminal, Disaster warning Receiver, Direct Reception System (DRS), Distress Alert Transmitter (DAT) useful for the fisherman for one way communication to address the emergency situations while sailing in high sea, MSS Type – C terminals as a reporting terminal useful for vehicle tracking system, MSS Type – D which is a portable two way communication system useful for establishing emergency communication system on ground where other systems fail due to disaster situation.

ISRO has also contributed in developing various Spin-off technologies, which are used for the benefit of the society. Some noted Spin-offs are Artificial Polyurethane Foot, Fire Extinguishing Powder, Distress Alert Transmitter, Single component flushing systems for Toilets, Precision Tapping Mechanism used in precise threading of space grade mechanical packages, and many more.

The strong involvement of Indian industry in space programme has resulted in the realisation of operational launch vehicles, heavier class of communication satellites, sophisticated earth observation satellites, interplanetary missions and establishment of new facilities. The scope of industry participation is bound to increase in terms of complexity and scale with ISRO undertaking development of cutting edge technologies. There is a huge opportunity for industry to contribute in realisation of operational missions, interplanetary exploratory missions and to contribute in upcoming areas like satellite navigation. Larger participation of private industry is required not only for realising programmatic goals but also for self-reliance leading to higher throughputs.

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"Technology is not an objective to be aimed at, but a tool to be used for the benefit of the common man" - Dr. Vikram A. Sarabhai

"Science makes it possible to dream of new worlds. Technology makes it possible to achieve the dream on earth itself" - Prof. Satish Dhawan