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The HAL-ISRO partnership will further get strengthened in the years to come. An Integrated Cryogenic Engine Manufacturing Facility (ICMF) will be set-up at HAL’s Aerospace Division here and the division will manufacture cryogenic / semi-cryogenic engines for ISRO, said R K Tyagi, Chairman, HAL.
Discussions with ISRO are already on for the assembly integration and testing of IRNSS satellites and for productionisation of propulsion sub-system for spacecraft and launch vehicle projects. Work packages for the Chandrayaan-2 and Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) projects are also on the anvil.
HAL has partnered and supported ISRO throughout its journey by providing hardware for satellites, SLV, ASLV, PSLV, GSLV MKII and GSLV MKIII (LVM3).
HAL’s association with India’s space programme dates back to the early ‘70s, when HAL provided tec- hnical inputs and manufacturing support to Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for realisation of light alloy structural assemblies for satellites and launch vehicle. HAL had built the structural assembly of India’s first satellite “Aryabhata” which was launched on April 19, 1975. The association further strengthened with inputs from HAL to build the satellites Bhaskara-1, Apple and Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV). The technical capabilities of HAL made ISRO partner HAL in all its space endeavours and it wanted a division of HAL totally dedicated to cater to its growing requirements of space worthy hardware.
HAL Aerospace Division was hence conceptualised in early 80s by an MoU between ISRO and HAL, in May 1983.
A full-fledged aerospace division took birth on March 25, 1988 and was dedicated to the nation on April 19, 1991. Since then, HAL has been a major partner of ISRO and their mainstay for the realisation of critical components, structural assemblies for launch vehicles and satellites and propellant tankages for the launch vehicles.
HAL started off with fabrication of structures and tankages for SLV,, ASLV, PSLV Launch Vehicles. Since then the facilities have been augmented/modernised continuously over time to manufacture structures and propellant tankages of different types and sizes, different materials and varied complexities. In an effort to move up the value chain, HAL took up the total stage integration of the L40 booster stage of GSLV MKII vehicle and has successfully delivered 24 fully integrated stages till date.
