About 100 Startups Registered With ISRO: Chairman S. Somanath The ISRO chief was speaking at the Bengaluru Tech Summit 2022 in Karnataka

Nearly 100 startups have registered with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and are working closely in various domains, said the space agency's Chairman S. Somanath on Thursday, the second day of the Bengaluru Tech Summit 2022.

ISRO has signed MoUs with companies to work closely which include hand-holding in space technology and building processes from start to finish, stated Somanath as he addressed a plenary session at the summit, 'R&D of India: Innovation for Global Impact'.

"A significant number of companies have the potential to become big players in the space sector and ISRO is playing the role of facilitator and helping in building technologies," he said, adding, out of 100 start-ups, at least 10 are working on developing satellites and rockets.

Chandrayaan 3 mission will be in orbit in a few months and that ISRO is working closely with NASA in space technology areas, Somanath further announced.

According to him, space tourism has picked up in the world with startups showing interest in various applications which impact mundane activities. ISRO is playing an important role in smart city projects and smart manufacturing processes, he added.

Somanath was also quoted as saying that some of the areas that the space agency is working on include bringing back satellite technology, propulsion systems used in engine manufacturing which have been successfully tested, green and hybrid propulsion system, nuclear propulsion, launch of small rockets with the use of additive technologies, energy storage systems, functional materials, carbon fibre technology, electronic devices, robotics, drone technologies, quantum technology used in encryption and disruptive technologies.