ISRO transfers satellite bus technology to Bengaluru-based private firm

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Friday announced that it began transferring IMS-1 Satellite Bus technology to Alpha Design Technologies, a Bengaluru-based private company.

The transfer was facilitated by ISRO’s commercial arm NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) through an agreement that was signed on Wednesday.

This technology signals the beginning of increased private participation in the Indian space industry.

The IMS-1 satellite bus was developed by the UR Rao Satellite Centre and is a small satellite platform designed to enable low-cost access to space.

The bus can serve as a dedicated vehicle for many different payloads, facilitating Earth imaging, ocean and atmospheric studies, microwave remote sensing and space science missions.