Even though the government’s opening of the space sector to private players has had its fair share of criticisms, for the first time, nine employee associations of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have raised a formal concern over the transition, asking for a written clarification from the space body’s chairperson, V Narayanan, on the same.
The associations have also sought clarity on the government’s privatisation plan, ISRO’s future, and the consequences for current employees and future recruitment.
‘ISRO can’t be reduced to R&D boutique’
The letter reportedly was sent to the ISRO chief just hours after the successful launch of India’s earth observation satellite aboard a GSLV rocket on Friday (September 4), multiple reports, including the Times of India and the Indian Express, said.
The employee associations are the ISRO Staff Association, SHAR Employees Association, ISAC Employees Association, ISRO Staff Association-LPSC, ISRO Staff Association-BBU, NRSA Employees Union, Space Employees Association-BBU, ISRO Staff Association-IPRC and SAC Employees Welfare Association.
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The letter reportedly protests the government’s alleged bid to reduce ISRO to a “residual R&D boutique” while investing the power to launch vehicles and operate launch infrastructure in private hands.
“Private participation in defined commercial activities can coexist with strong, publicly owned ISRO. What cannot be accepted without debate is a policy that reduces ISRO to a residual R&D boutique while the realisation of the nation’s launch vehicles and the operation of its launch infrastructure pass out of public hands,” TOI quoted the letter as saying.
Associations seek clarity on major shifts
The letter came after Pawan Goenka, chairman of the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), said at a recent event that ISRO will eventually cease manufacturing launch vehicles and shift responsibility to the private sector.
The ISRO employees in their letter said the change is already evident in the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) and may extend to the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and LVM3.
The associations in the letter sought clarity if Goenka’s statement was the government’s line and whether ISRO would still be responsible for the design, development, realisation, integration, testing and launch of PSLV, LVM3, SSLV and future vehicles.
The employee organisations also flagged concerns over the proposed transfer of production of SSLV, PSLV and LVM3 vehicles, the shifting of satellite manufacturing to private facilities, and the opening of new launch infrastructure including the Space Launch Complex at Kulasekarapattinam to private players.
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The letter also raised concerns over the transfer of 120 ISRO technologies to the private sector.
“These statements have received wide national publicity. They have not, however, been accompanied by any corresponding official communication from the Department of Space to its employees explaining the approved policy, its legal and administrative basis, its phasing, or its consequences for the existing workforce and for future public recruitment,” the letter said.
Repercussions of transition
In June 2020, the Department of Space (DoS) launched IN-SPACe to facilitate private participation in the space sector. In-SPACe handles authorisation and supervises various space activities of private players, including the launch of vehicles and satellites, providing space-based services, sharing of space infrastructure and premises under the control of DoS/ISRO, and establishment of new space infrastructure and facilities.
In their letter, the employee associations said the reports that ISRO may withdraw from manufacturing launch vehicles and satellites are making employees and their families anxious.
The letter said the move may “tamper experiments after research, shrink in-house work, freeze or reduce sanctioned, and close promotion and skill-development avenues in technical, scientific, administrative, store, purchase, quality, safety and industrial cadres.”
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“Launch-vehicle design, realisation, integration, testing and launch operations are not merely ‘manufacturing contracts’. They are the core competence, institutional memory and strategic capability of the Organisation,” the letter said.
The organsiations said the transitions may make existing employees surplus, lead to their redeployment or leave them without meaningful work. It also warned that reduced recruitment to Group A, B and C posts deny young people careers in ISRO.