BENGALURU, JUNE 5 :   S Somanath, Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), inaugurated state-of-the-art Propellant Tank Production and CNC Machining facilities at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s (HAL) Aerospace Division today.

The event was attended by Mr. C. B. Ananthakrishnan, Chairman and Managing Director (Additional Charge) of HAL, along with senior officers from both ISRO and HAL.

These newly established facilities mark a significant advancement in ISRO’s capability to meet its increasing production demands, particularly for the Launch Vehicle Mark–3 (LVM3), India’s heaviest and most powerful rocket.

Currently, the production capacity supports only two LVM3 launches per year, while ISRO’s operational requirements are for six launches annually. The new facilities will bridge this gap, enabling HAL to produce the critical components needed to support the manufacturing of six LVM3 rockets per year.

In his address, Somanath praised HAL’s extensive capacities and emphasised the importance of leveraging this potential for the benefit of both organizations. He highlighted the crucial role HAL will play in ISRO’s future missions and encouraged HAL to focus on emerging technologies, design challenges, and end-to-end project management to alleviate the pressure on ISRO.

Ananthakrishnan echoed the sentiment, noting that the collaboration with ISRO would accelerate progress in human spaceflight missions and the development of Next-Generation Launch Vehicles (NGLV). He affirmed HAL’s commitment to further investments to maximize the potential of space programs, envisioning space as a key vertical for HAL shortly.

During the event, in a symbolic gesture, the first Gaganyaan Service Module and LVM3 ½ U Isogrid Version Hardware were handed over to ISRO.

The Propellant Tank Production Facility will specialize in manufacturing high-performance fuel and oxidizer tanks, which are critical components for the LVM3 launch vehicle. These tanks can measure up to 4 meters in diameter and 15 meters in length. The CNC Machining Facility is equipped with advanced Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machines for the high-precision fabrication of 4.5-meter class rings and propellant tank domes for the LVM3.

Key figures present at the inauguration included Dr V Narayanan, Director of the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), M Mohan, Director of the Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC), Mihir Kanti Mishra, Chief Executive Officer of the Bangalore Complex at HAL, and S Anbuvelan, Chief Executive Officer of the Helicopter Complex at HAL.

This collaboration between ISRO and HAL represents a significant stride towards enhancing India’s space capabilities and meeting the ambitious goals of its space programs.(UNI)