ISRO facilities are widely open for startups and private firms. The Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman believes that the private sector is doing a lot of work in the space area. She announced that “India already has the benefit of an extraordinary institution like ISRO, but now lots of private players are also coming in with innovative space technology. We will allow private players to benefit from Isro’s assets and give them a level-playing field to boost India’s space sector further.”
Two private firms will test their engines over the next few months at Sriharikota spaceport and Thiruvananthapuram rocket centre. ISRO will be giving its satellite images to a private company that provides mapping services.
“In both cases, we found problems with solar panels and our team is helping them fix them. URSC also tested UNITYsat, which had problems with the separation system which we’re setting right.” K Sivan said
ISRO has a lot of facilities that design and develop communication and earth observation satellites and rockets that can carry up to six tonnes of payload. Taking a glance at ISRO’s future goals, it has planned over 60 missions for the next five years. Geospatial national policy has been in the works since the year 2015. Sitharaman also reported that “we want to help Indian startups that are doing pioneering work.”
“More private firms will get access to our facilities. ISRO is ready to handhold the private sector, especially startups, but we are looking at technological innovations that can help India become a global space activities hub.” K Sivan ISRO
To take startups in the space sector to a high orbit the Indian Space Research Organization for the first time in its history opened the doors to private companies. The revolutionary reforms have opened up new avenues for private players. It is not just for space exploration but to build satellites, electronic components, communication technology material and much more.
ISRO’s robust in-space program along with its future tech and research is key for the government and industry. They provide strategic data across sectors like agriculture, climate, communication, defence, banking surveillance and much more. As enterprises large and small they diversify into the entire space value chain in partnership with the space agency. The country now stands on the cusp of building a global space ecosystem.
Reaching on to the development, Vivek Kumar, ISRO spokesperson stated that the two firms have finished the testing already. During the coming months, both the firms will also test their engines at Sriharikota spaceport and Thiruvananthapuram rocket centre. “There have been several firms that have worked with ISRO in the past, but these firms are into manufacturing satellites. They are almost through with their development. In our next PSLV launch, they could be our co-passengers,” he said.
ISRO chairman K Sivan in June 2020, announced that ISRO will open its labs, testing facilities and quality facilities to private companies so they don’t have to invest in infrastructure.
“These far reaching reforms will put India in the league of very few countries with an efficient promotional and authorization mechanism for private sector space activities. With the Prime Minister’s vision and guidance we will make all efforts so that India transits into a new space era varying our innovative startups and our industries are enabled to play a significant role in the space sector. “
In September 2020, the central government set up an independent body Indian National Space Promotion And Authorization in space. To not only oversee the private sector but also to hand hold and share ISRO facilities.
“In order to enhance utilization and maximize benefits from the space assets, it is proposed to change the approach from “Supply Based Model” to “Demand-Based Model”. NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) will act as the aggregator of user requirements and obtain commitments. NSIL would take ownership from DOS for operational launch vehicles, commercialize launches, satellites and services. The organisation will permit NGPE’s to carry out space activities through an Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe). ISRO would carry out capacity building in Space domain through the development of new technologies and capabilities and enable sharing of facilities by NSIL and NGPE’s” says the information provided by ISRO on its website.
Why the private sector is important ?
Opening the space sector for private enterprises will help scale up the benefits from space technology. It will enable Indian industry to be an important player in the global space economy. As part of longer socio economic reforms the space reforms will improve access to space based services for Indian development.
Coming on to the government’s part the same initiative has been pushed by the Finance Minister while presenting this year’s budget. When she allocated approximately Rs 13,500 crore to the department of space in this fiscal year.
The government has really high ambitions for space and technology. The PM himself has told in various universities and conferences and in his monthly radio talk show “Mann ki baat” about his aim to take the country’s space sector to new heights.
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