Kineco Kaman Composites India Private Limited (Kineco Kaman) today completed its first commercial delivery of Composite Equipment Bay Shroud (EBS) Assembly to Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), a division of Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). Kineco Kaman is India’s first private company to have successfully supplied the said Composite Assembly for Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mark III. Four (4) more EBS are scheduled to be delivered by December 2023.
EBS Assembly is complex and critical 4m diameter CFRP hat-stiffened structure that houses sensitive equipment of the GSLV. The composite segments are fabricated using carbon fiber prepreg and aluminum core material which is cured using an Autoclave and are then assembled using various titanium and aluminum hardware to tight tolerances.
As part of its commitment to promote private sector participation in developing space capabilities in India, VSSC had decided to outsource this critical assembly. VSSC entrusted this responsibility to Kineco Kaman taking into consideration its legacy of proven performance and expertise in industrialization of complex composite assemblies. Over the last eighteen months, VSSC and Kineco Kaman teams worked alongside to align the competencies to manufacture this critical assembly for the launch vehicle.
Kineco Kaman’s credentials in providing high-quality, cost-effective composite solutions with superior service and on-time delivery for the aerospace and defense sector have further been enhanced with this successful industrialization of EBS assembly for the space sector.
On this occasion, Shekhar Sardessai, Founder of Kineco Group and Chairman & Managing Director of Kineco Kaman commented “It is an important milestone for the company, we are extremely jubilant and proud to be a part of ISRO’s GSLV Mark-III program and contribute towards India’s self-reliance in space technologies. We are pleased to meet the expectations of ISRO/VSSC and to have fulfilled the trust placed by them when they decided to outsource this critical activity to the private sector. We are hopeful that this milestone achieved by Kineco Kaman will pave way for more opportunities and help in overall development of space capabilities in India’s private sector in line with the Prime Minister’s vision.”
About Kineco Kaman
Kineco Kaman manufactures advanced composite parts and assemblies for aerospace and defence customers at its state-of-the-art aerospace & defence composites facility in Pilerne Industrial Estate, Goa, India. The facility has achieved several global certifications such as AS9100 (Rev-D) NADCAP, ISO 14001 & 45001 and ZED (Zero Defect – Zero Effect) gold rating, besides several other customer specific qualifications. Kineco Kaman exports its products to global aerospace OEM’s, which include those in the US, Europe and Israel. Kineco Kaman is recipient of Gold Supplier award from BAE Systems for maintaining a 100% on-time delivery & 100% quality performance in 2018, 2020 & 2021. Kineco Kaman is also a major supplier of composite parts and assemblies to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for their various program, as well as the Indian Space Research Organization’s (ISRO’s) satellite & launch vehicle programs. More information is available at www.kinecokamanindia.com.
About Kineco Group
Kineco, a first-generation enterprise founded by Shekhar Sardessai in 1995, is one of India’s leading composites manufacturing companies with a strong focus on the mass transit, aerospace and defense sector. Kineco has a strong legacy of innovation, development and commercialization of several composite products catering to a wide range of industries such as mass transit (railways), industrial, defense, automotive & marine. The group employees over 750 people across three manufacturing locations in Goa India, including the Kineco Kaman JV. Helios Strategic Systems (I) Limited (A wholly owned subsidiary of Indo National Limited, a publicly listed company) headquartered in Chennai, is a majority shareholder in Kineco Limited. More information is available at www.kinecogroup.com.
About Kaman Corporation
Kaman Corporation, founded in 1945 by aviation pioneer Charles H. Kaman, and headquartered in Bloomfield, Connecticut conducts business in the aerospace & defense, industrial and medical markets. Kaman produces and markets proprietary aircraft bearings and components; super precision, miniature ball bearings; proprietary spring energized seals, springs and contacts; complex metallic and composite aerostructures for commercial, military and general aviation fixed and rotary wing aircraft; safe and arming solutions for missile and bomb systems for the U.S. and allied militaries; subcontract helicopter work; restoration, modification and support of our SH-2G Super Seasprite maritime helicopters; manufacture and support of our K-MAX® manned and unmanned medium-to-heavy lift helicopters. More information is available at www.kaman.com.
About Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)/ Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC)
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is the national space agency of India, headquartered in Bengaluru, India. It operates under the Department of Space (DOS) which is directly overseen by the Prime Minister of India, while Chairman of ISRO acts as executive of DOS as well. ISRO is the primary agency in India to perform tasks related to space-based applications, space exploration and development of related technologies. It is one of six government space agencies in the world which possess full launch capabilities, deploy cryogenic engines, launch extra-terrestrial missions and operate large fleets of artificial satellites.
Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) is a major space research center of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), focusing on rocket and space vehicles for India’s satellite program. It is located in Thiruvananthapuram, in the Indian state of Kerala. VSSC is an entirely indigenous facility working on the development of sounding rockets, the Rohini and Menaka launchers, and SLV, ASLV, PSLV, GSLV and GSLV Mk III families of launch vehicles.