India’s State Research Organisation (ISRO) is responsible for the design and build on the country’s satellite and rocket-building and to “harness space technology for national development”.

It has not had aa good time just lately, beset by scandals and late-delivery of satellites which are needed to support India’s broadcasters and suppliers of bandwidth.

India’s government is proposing a scheme to privatise some of its responsibilities, which is not going down well with staff. The Times of India is reporting that despite already working closely with the private sector on the outsourcing of some satellite and rocket component supply, the government wants to see more.

“In future, through privatisation it is feared that ISRO centres will be denied even the control over launch missions,” said G R Pramod, the general secretary of ISRO’s staff association.

The decision would affect some of the 1400 staff working at various tasks both at ISRO and in the supply chain.

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