Isro's next PSLV launch in three months: K Sivan

The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) is all set to kickstart its PSLV launch for the year 2021 in February or March.

Isro chairman Prof K Sivan announced this during the 55th annual convocation of Bangalore University held in Bengaluru on Saturday.

Delivering the convocation address, he said, “by end of March or in the beginning of April, the new PSLV will be ready for launch.”

In his speech, Sivan stressed about private and public sector partnerships.

“More efforts should be made towards private and public sector partnerships and joint ventures to benefit from investments and technology transfers. This will increase skills among workers to make them more employable. The government has already announced space sector reforms for greater participation of non-governmental entities in its activities. Our next PSLV launch will have satellites from start-up agencies as the first product of these reforms” he said.

Sivan emphasised on adopting green technologies to avoid environmental damage.

“As India continues to focus on economic growth, it needs to ensure that environmental damage is limited by adopting green technologies. Isro has done the technology transfer of its space grade lithium-ion batteries to industry. This technology is useful for mass adoption in electrical vehicles, without remaining perpetually dependent on foreign sources,” the scientist said.

Isro is developing green propulsion for its human spaceflight mission, he announced.

“In future, all propulsion stages may adopt green technology,” Sivan said.