Optimistic space policy lays out plans to privatise sector

Optimistic space policy lays out plans to privatise sector

Subject: Science and Technology

Section:  Space technology

Concept:

• The Centre’s updated Space Policy, cleared by the Union Cabinet on April 6 but made public recently, has drawn measured optimism from the India’s budding private sector start-up space.

Space Sector of India

• ISRO has an exceptional success rate and is the 6th largest space agency globally.
• India has over 400 private space companies and ranks fifth globally in terms of the number of space companies.
• The satellite manufacturing capabilities are expected to reach USD 3.2 billion by 2025.
• ISRO also launched a student outreach program called SAMVAD to encourage space research among young minds.

Indian Space Policy 2023

• The Indian Space Policy 2023 is a comprehensive set of guidelines that outlines the roles and responsibilities of different entities in the Indian space sector.
• The policy is expected to pave the way for much-needed clarity in space reforms and encourage private industry participation in the space economy.
• It aims to encourage and institutionalize private sector participation in India’s space sector, with the ISRO primarily focusing on research and development of advanced space technologies.

Objectives :

• To augment space capabilities;
• Enable, encourage and develop a flourishing commercial presence in space;
• Use space as a driver of technology development and derive benefits in allied areas;
• Pursue international relations, and create an ecosystem for effective implementation of space applications among all stakeholders.

Key features of the Indian Space Policy 2023

• Creates four distinct, but related entities:
• The policy creates four distinct, but related entities, that will facilitate greater private sector participation in activities that have usually been the traditional domain of ISRO.
• These four entities are:
  • Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
  • IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre)
  • New Space India Limited (NSIL)
  • Department of Space.
• Role of the IN-SPACe :
  • As per the policy, IN-SPACe will be the single-window agency for authorisation of all space activities.
  • It will also develop space industry standards, promote identified space activities and work with academia to widen the space ecosystem and enable industry-academia linkages.
• Role of ISRO :
  • ISRO, meanwhile, has been asked to move away from routine activities and focus on research and innovation.
  • This will mean developing new space technologies and applications in order to maintain India’s edge in the areas of space infrastructure, space transportation, space applications, capacity building and human spaceflight.
• Role of New Space India Ltd :
  • The government’s commercial arm, New Space India Ltd, has been asked to commercialise technologies and platforms created by government entities.
  • It has also been tasked to manufacture, lease, or buy space technologies or assets, and provide space-based services to government as well as private entities.
• Role of the Department of Space :
  • The Department of Space has been asked to implement the policy, interpret and clarify any ambiguities and establish a framework for safe and sustainable space operations.
  • It will be the nodal department for implementing space technologies.
  • It will also look after international cooperation and coordination in the area of global space governance and programmes in consultation with Ministry of External Affairs.
  • It has also been tasked to create an appropriate mechanism to resolve disputes arising out of space activity.
• Enables open satellite data access :
  • Satellite images with a ground sample distance (GSD) greater than five metres (a satellite image where two adjacent pixels represent points five metres apart on the ground) would be freely available.
  • However, those with a GSD less than 30 cm will require INSPACe authorisation due to national security considerations.
• Private companies allowed to undertake end-to-end space activity :
• Private companies, referred to as non-governmental entities in the policy, will be allowed to undertake end-to-end space activity.
• These activities include –
• Launching and operating satellites, developing rockets, creating ground stations, building spaceports and mobile launch platforms; and
• Providing services like communication, remote sensing and navigation, nationally and internationally.
• Other roles envisaged for private entities :
• Private entities have also been encouraged to develop space situational awareness capabilities.
• Space situational awareness capabilities is a mechanism to track objects in space and avoid collision of satellites and space stations with each other or space debris.
• The policy also says that private players can engage in commercial recovery of asteroids or space resources.
• Private participation will be limited to Indian companies.
• The question of whether foreign direct investment via the automatic route will be permitted in space is as yet unresolved and pending government approval.