Sri City industries support ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3
As a fast-rising symbol of ‘Make in India’, Sri City industrial hub associate in several important projects
Dr K Sivan, the then Chairman, ISRO & Secretary, Department of Space, flagging off the shipment of India's largest liquid hydrogen storage tank manufactured at VRV production plant in Sri City on May 22, 2019
Chandrayaan-3’s successful landing on the moon is not just a breakthrough and a matter of pride for India’s scientific community - it has also been a blessing to Indian industries. While ISRO led the way in managing the project from conception to completion, it equally deserves recognition for fostering a network of vendors, encompassing both public and private sector participants. This accomplishment of ISRO brings to light a number of Indian firms that have provided systems to the launch vehicle, spacecraft, or ground-based infrastructure. On this occasion, Sri City says that three of its units, VRV (Chart Group), Rotolok and Val-met Engineering have been involved in ISRO programmes, including the Chandrayaan-3 mission.
VRV designs and makes the complete range of products for the storage, distribution and vaporisation of liquid gases including nitrogen (LIN), oxygen (LOX), argon (LAR), carbon dioxide (LCO2), nitrous oxide (LN2O), liquid hydrogen (LH2) and natural gas (LNG). It supplied a state of the art large storage tank of LH2 with a Liquid nitrogen (LIN) shield, to SDSC in a collaborative effort with ISRO.
Rotolok India, a subsidiary of the Rotolok Holdings Ltd, UK manufactures a range of powder and bulk material handling products, such as rotary airlocks, diverter valves, slide valves, big bag systems, conveyors and discharge units. Some of the Rotolok’s products are used at the ISRO’s solid rocket propellant manufacturing plant at Sriharikota.
The propellant produced here powers the huge solid booster of LVM-3 and the solid propellant stages of PSLVs, GSLVs, and SSLVs as well. Val-met Engineering supplies super alloys Nickel, Titanium, Cobalt and Aluminium, in different forms, as raw materials for fabricating hardwares of launch vehicles and satellite of ISRO, including the LVM-3 and Chandrayaan -3 spacecraft. Appreciating the commitment of these industrial units Dr Ravindra Sannareddy, Founder Managing Director, Sri City said, “We feel very happy and honoured as these units have supported the national space programme by supplying their products. Sri City industrial units look forward to take part in such Atmanirbhar programmes.”
“The industrial units of Sri City have been contributing to several national and international projects, substituting imports and multiplying exports," he said, adding that while Hunter Douglas and Siddhartha Logistics have been associated with Dassault’s Rafael aircraft project, BFG's FRP products are used across varioussectors, including Vande Bharat trains of Indian Railways and metro projects as well.
An ideal hub for aerospace
The manufacturing and supply of industrial gases like N2, LOX, LH2, and helium are some of the things that are ideal to be close to the launch site because they are needed in large quantities. The cost of transporting them from a distance will be prohibitive. The testing, calibration, and integration facilities for launch vehicle and satellite ancillary supports should also be situated nearby.
A cluster of these services is established, the constituent industries will work in unison to meet large demands, emerging particularly from the aerospace, defence, and other strategic sectors. Many skilled and semi-skilled people would get direct and indirect work as a result of this hub.
Sri City, which has more than 205 enterprises across various sectors, will be an excellent choice to build such an aerospace centre due to its advantageous position and close proximity to the ISRO's Spaceport. Sri City also has a well established aerospace industry ecosystem. Numerous light engineering industries, and renowned producers of liquified gases, and storage tanks are already located in Sri City.
