The Indian Space Research Organisation in Dec 2016 signed an agreement with a consortium of six companies to deliver India's first industry-built satellite by late 2017.
Agreement was signed between Director of ISRO Satellite Centre and consortium led Alpha Design Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
This marks the first time ISRO has outsourced the construction of an entire satellite.
ISAC assembles satellites for communication, remote sensing and navigation.
Agreement includes assembly, integration and testing (AIT) of two spare navigation satellites in a row in around 18 months.
The consortium is led by Alpha Design Technologies Pvt. Ltd, a defence manufacturing contractor and
6 companies namely Newtech Solutions, Aidin Technologies and DCX Cables of Bengaluru, Vinyas Technologies of Mysuru and Avantel Systems of Hyderabad.
The development work will start around January 2017 and the first satellite will be out in around late 2017.
The outsourcing of the manufacture of 2 navigation satellites will provide India a chance to be a market leader in space technology.
ISRO also aims to facilitate greater participation of Indian industries.
For this purpose, it has already passed on 300 technologies to industries in various fields- electronics, speciality polymer chemicals and materials, electro-optical instruments etc.
