Putting indeginious Isro technology for wider commercial use, Space PSU New Space India Limited (nsil) has announced to transfer about 78 technologies developed by Isro to the Indian industry for commercial use in the last two years.

According to the Indian Space Research Organisation, “To promote this further, a technology transfer conclave was organised on June 27 at the Isro headquarters. Thirty-six industries participated and 11 transfer of technology agreements were exchanged between industry and NSIL.”

S Somanath, secretary, department of space and chairman Isro, reiterated that technology transfer will enable the industry to absorb high-end technologies developed by Isro over a period of time and leverage the industry to scale them up for many advanced applications.

While expressing confidence that the day was not too far for the reversal to happen, when critical technologies developed by industry will be used for Isro missions, Somanath emphasised the potential of technologies in the domain of space applications.

Somanath also highlighted some of the futuristic strategies by Isro in production of operational systems. “Various Isro centres presented potential technologies, which are ready for transfer in near future,” Isro statement said.

Even before the formation of NSIL in March 2019, the department of space (DoS) had been transferring technologies to the industry. From just 56 agreements enabling transfer of 39 technologies to 20 companies in 1980, Isro had 520 agreements with 233 industries for 407 technologies as of September 2020. It has now further jumped to 611 agreements with 326 industries as of March 30, 2022.

While Isro has been transferring technologies to companies from very early on, the first serious impetus came at the time of Satish Dhawan occupying the top office. Since then, the space agency has consistently transferred technology to industries.

Majority of the technology transferred by Isro — around 45% — are in the field of electronics & computer-based technology, and telecom broadcasting together. Technologies relating to chemicals and special materials form the single-largest cluster.

Further, in 2021-22 alone, Isro has transferred 69 technologies to Space PSU New Space India Limited (NSIL), which has been empowered by the Department of Space (DoS) to in turn transfer them to the industries.