India’s space sector has achieved remarkable progress, exemplified by the recent success of Chandrayaan-3, which highlights its advancing technological capabilities. Over the next two decades, the Government of India has set ambitious goals, including the development of powerful, reusable rockets like ISRO’s upcoming Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV). These advancements are critical for achieving self-reliance and global competitiveness in space exploration.
This article explores recent developments in India’s space sector after the success of Chandrayaan-3. We will also discuss the space sector significance and the challenges it faces.
What have been the recent developments in Space Sector in India post the Successful Chandrayaan-3 mission?
New Space Launches
| Aditya-L1 Mission | Aditya-L1 spacecraft has been launched to study solar radiation from the Earth-Sun Lagrange point (L1), aboard the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). It reached its orbit around L1 by January 6, 2024, and completed its first orbit on July 2, 2024. In May 2024, it tracked a solar storm in collaboration with ground observatories and lunar spacecraft. |
| Gaganyaan TV-D1 Test Flight | The test successfully separated the crew module from the Test Vehicle (TV), ensuring it safely descended and was recovered by the Indian Navy vessel INS Shakti. This test is a key part of ISRO’s human spaceflight program. |
| XPoSat Launch | It studies the polarization of radiation from celestial objects and follows NASA’s IPEX mission. |
| RLV-TD Tests | ISRO tested its Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV), Pushpak, with landing experiments that mimicked conditions from space. These successful tests provided key data and set the stage for the upcoming Orbital Return Flight Experiment. |
| SSLV Development | ISRO successfully completed the final test flight of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV). This milestone confirms the SSLV’s readiness for commercial use. The payloads included earth observation tools and an ultraviolet dosimeter for the Gaganyaan mission. |
Regulatory and Institutional Developments
| NewSpace India Ltd. (NSIL) | NSIL now manages commercial activities like Indian Remote Sensing satellite data. On May 1, 2024, NSIL signed a launch deal with SpaceX for the GSAT-20/GSAT-N2 satellite. It has also sought qualifications for LVM-3 production and signed a launch agreement with an Australian company for the SSLV. |
| Private Sector Contributions | Private space companies are progressing with their missions- Agnikul Cosmos launched its SoRTeD-01 vehicle, Skyroot Aerospace is developing the Vikram 1 rocket, and Dhruva Space and Bellatrix Aerospace contributed to the PSLV-C58 mission. |
| Regulatory Developments | India’s space regulator, IN-SPACe, has updated its policies and issued new licences, including the first satellite broadband license to Eutelsat OneWeb and the first ground station license to Dhruva Space. The government has amended its foreign direct investment (FDI) policy to allow 100% FDI in most space sectors. However, there are some limits on satellite manufacturing (74%) and launch infrastructure (49%). |
Future Roadmap and Initiatives
| Gaganyaan Program | a. ISRO is advancing its Gaganyaan program, which will send an Indian crew to space for the first time, showcasing India’s human spaceflight capabilities. b. By 2035, ISRO aims to establish India’s own space station, the ‘Bharatiya Antariksh Station’ (BAS). The revised Gaganyaan Programme includes the development of the first module of BAS and four missions to demonstrate and validate various technologies for BAS by December 2028. |
| Next-Generation Launch Vehicle | a. ISRO is working on a Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV). It will be a three-stage rocket using semi-cryogenic, liquid, and cryogenic engines. b. The NGLV will replace some existing launch vehicles, such as the GSLV. The NGLV will triple the payload capacity of the LVM3 (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk III), India’s most powerful rocket. Additionally, ISRO is upgrading the LVM3 with a new semi-cryogenic engine. c. In contrast to India’s existing rockets, which are expendable and designed for single use, a significant portion of the NGLV will be reusable. Reusability requires that the rocket keep some of its fuel for controlled descent back to the earth’s surface. |
What is the significance of Space sector in India?
1. Boost to ‘Space Industrialisation’- Currently, India manages to occupy only 2%, or US$ 7 billion, of the global space economy. The development of space sector will promote space Industrialisation in India, provide a boost to space-tech ecosystem and help India’s space economy to reach $100 billion by 2040.
2. Low Cost Missions- The Indian space sector has the potential of launching space vehicles at a much lower cost. This will help in getting many foreign contracts. For ex- Mars Orbiter Mission was 10 times cheaper than western missions.
3. Presence of Budding Entrepreneurs- According to a global report published in June 2021, India has 368 private space firms, placing it 5th in the world in size after the US, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Germany. With these many firms, India is leading China (288), France (269), and Spain (206) in the private space industry.
4. Enhancement of India’s role and position in the Artemis accord- India is now a member of the Artemis Accords. With the further growth and development of space sector, India has an opportunity to lead the other Artemis countries alongside the U.S.
| Artemis Accord- It is the U.S.-led multilateral effort to place humans on the moon by 2025 and thereafter to expand human space exploration to the earth’s wider neighbourhood in the solar system. |
5. Expansion of cooperation in outer space- While geo-political rivalry is a reality, India’s space sector provides India an opportunity to limit competition and expand cooperation in outer space. However, it also allows India to gain military advantage in space over their geopolitical rivals on Earth.
What are the challenges in further development of space infrastructure in India?
1. Budgetary Challenges- Space sector in India faces budget constraints despite its successes in launching missions. There has been an 8% decline in budget allocations to ISRO in 2023-2024 with respect to 2022-2023. The funds allocated to the space sector are very less in comparison to other countries. The US spent 10 times and China 6 times more than India in the space sector in 2019-20.
2. Manpower Challenges- ISRO, the foundational pillar of Indian space sector, faces manpower challenge due to the problem of Brain Drain and fewer students pursuing advanced spaced space studies.
3. Absence of a Clear Legislative Framework- The draft Space Activities bill, which was introduced way back in 2017 but has not yet been passed. This has hindered the further growth and development of the space sector in India.
4. Lack of robust Dispute Settlement Mechanism- This discourages private investment in the space sector in India. The void was seen in Antrix-Devas cancelled satellite deal. The Government of India owes nearly $1.2 billion to Devas Multimedia as per an order of a tribunal of the International Chamber of Commerce.
5. Technological Challenges- ISRO faces challenges in upgrading its technology, such as developing more powerful launch vehicles with higher payload capacities. For example, Chandrayaan-3 took about six weeks to reach the Moon, while the failed Russian mission Luna-25 took only one week. Currently, India uses two LVM3 rockets for uncrewed lunar missions and relies on foreign rockets like SpaceX’s Falcon 9 for heavier payloads.
6. Government funding driven sector- Some critics have argued that such massive spending by the government alone in the space sector curtails Indian government’s spending capability in social sectors like poverty alleviation, education, and health which must be the priority for developing country like India.
What Steps have been taken by the Government to address these challenges?
| Indian Space Policy, 2023 | Indian Space Policy 2023 is a landmark policy for the development for India’s space sector. It offers an opportunity to build upon past achievements and harness the potential of the evolving space sector. |
| IN-SPACe | It aims to provide a level-playing field for private companies to use the Indian space architecture. IN-SPACe will act as a channel between ISRO and any private players that want to participate in space activity, thereby culling lengthy bureaucratic procedures. |
| FDI Policy | The government has amended its foreign direct investment (FDI) policy to allow 100% FDI in most space sectors. However, there are some limits on satellite manufacturing (74%) and launch infrastructure (49%). |
| New Space India Limited (NSIL) | It is a Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Department of Space that was established in 2019. It has been mandated to transfer the technologies emanating out of the Indian space programme and enable Indian industry to scale up high-technology manufacturing base. |
What should be the Way forward?
1. Push for greater privatization- India should create space policies that boost private sector investment and focus on commercial growth. The Department of Space can award contracts to Indian companies to develop reusable, heavy-lift rockets. A milestone-based funding mechanism, where payments are made to private players after meeting specific objectives at each stage, would ensure accountability and reduce cost overruns.
2. Passage of space Activities Bill- The passage of the Space Activities Bill should also be done in order to give private players greater clarity and protection. This should involve proper consultation and discussions with the concerned stakeholders.
3. Setting up Space Dispute Tribunal- The plan to set up an independent tribunal to adjudicate disputes among private space entities should be implemented promptly.
4. Enhanced International Collaboration- India must do more collaboration and research with pioneer countries like the US & Russia, who have already ramped up their space infrastructure.
Indian Space sector possesses huge untapped potential which can be realized with adequate policy measures by the government. This would boost the confidence of the private sector and deliver optimum results, thereby helping the country acquire the top spot in the global space industry.
| Read more- The Hindu UPSC Syllabus- GS 3- Space |
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