Chennai: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is planning to launch its first small rocket with a total carrying capacity of about 500-700 kg sometime next year, as per the details provided by a top official.

“The developmental work for our small rocket that can carry satellites weighing around 500 kg is on. The first flight of the small rocket is expected to happen sometime next year,” ISRO Chairman, K Sivan told news agencies.

The small rocket is slated to be launched from the existing rocketport located at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.

During a recent interaction with news agencies, S Rakesh, chairman-cum-managing director, Antrix Corporation said that the low-cost small rocket is needed to be launched from a dedicated launch pad with a simple vertical launch mechanism. “Though SSLV will be initially launched from our rocket port at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh, we want to have a separate spaceport for it later,” Mr. Rakesh had said.

When asked about the views fo Mr. Rakesh over the separate spaceport Sivan said that in the initial stage the small rocket will be flown from Sriharikota. Antrix too may have got its own plans for the future.

As a matter of fact, Antrix has invited Indian nationals to apply for the post of Head, Manufacturing & Marketing of Space Systems with the job description reading: “Preplanning activities of new Space Transport Systems which Antrix is envisaging to put into production. Establishment of production facilities in coordination with ISRO and Industries for Technology Transfer and production of the System.”

As per Mr. Sivan’s statement, ISRO is in the process of evaluating various proposals it has received for its lithium-ion battery technology and is also expected to complete the whole process within a month’s time.

“In a month or so the first level of screen of the proposals will be over,” Mr. Sivan said.

More than 130 companies had expressed their interest in the Indian space agency’s lithium-ion cell technology.

ISRO had announced its recent move to allow technology transfer to the Indian industry on a basis of non-exclusiveness in automobiles for a sum of Rs. 1 crore in June.

The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre located in Kerala, will be responsible for the technology transfer to the successful Indian industries or start-ups on a basis of non-exclusiveness to enable the establishment of production facilities in the country that can produce cells of varying sizes, energy densities, capacities and power densities catering to the entire spectrum of power storage requirements, ISRO had said.

As of now, the most dominant battery system is the lithium-ion battery for a variety of societal needs which includes mobile phones, cameras, laptops and many other portable consumer gadgets apart from industrial applications and aerospace.

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