HAL wins bid to build, own & launch India’s SSLV, marking a bold step in commercial space play.
The deets: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has won a ₹511 crore contract to manufacture India’s Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV).
SSLV is a compact rocket designed to carry payloads of up to 500 kg to low-Earth orbit, ideal for the booming global demand in small satellite deployments.
What makes this win historic is that HAL now gains the right to build, own, and commercialise SSLV launches, setting a new precedent in India’s private space sector participation.
Why it matters: this is the first strategic tech transfer of rocket manufacturing under India's liberalised space policy. It signals a shift in ISRO’s role from operator to enabler.
Zoom out: the global low-Earth orbit launcher market was worth $13.9B in 2023, projected to hit $44B by 2032.
India currently holds just a 2% share of the global space economy but is targeting $44B by 2030.
HAL’s SSLV win is one small step for a rocket, one giant leap for India’s space ambitions.
