New Delhi: Defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has handed over Gaganyaan hardware to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Monday. Speaking on the same, ISRO Chairman S Somanath said that HAL has and will continue to play a significant role in India's current and future space program including the Gaganyaan manned mission to space, given the skills and knowledge base within the company.

He identified indigenisation and cost reduction as major challenges in space missions and said that apart from HAL private players will have a role in achieving these goals. He was speaking at the handing over function of the First set of Gaganyaan Hardware by HAL to ISRO and at the inauguration of HAL's PS2/GS2 stage integration facility in Bengaluru. In addition to this, HAL also handed over 150th Make Satellite Bus Structure on this occasion.

HAL's Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) R Madhavan recalled HAL's long association with ISRO for over 40 years, and said HAL is well poised to play a bigger role in the integration activities related to the launch vehicles. "We will continue to be a reliable partner of ISRO with dedication, devotion and zeal", he added.

The PS2 stage is the second stage of PSLV launch vehicle in which earth storable propellants are used for propulsion.

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