ISRO’s POEM-4 Mission

ISRO’s POEM-4 Mission

Sub:  Sci

Sec: Space sector

Why in News

• The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) announced the successful deployment of 10 hosted payloads by non-government entities (NGEs) on the POEM-4 module of ISRO’s PSLV-C60/SpaDeX mission. This marks a significant milestone in boosting private sector involvement in India’s space exploration efforts.

What is POEM-4?

• POEM-4 (PSLV Orbital Experimental Module) utilizes the spent PS4 stage of the PSLV rocket, repurposed to host scientific and technological experiments.
• It involved the PSLV-C60 rocket carrying the POEM-4 module, which performed in-orbit scientific experiments at an altitude of 350 km with a 55-degree inclination.

Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe):

• Organizational Structure: IN-SPACe comprises a chairman, technical experts in space activities, safety experts, legal and strategic experts, and members from academia, industry, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
• Headquarters: IN-SPACe is headquartered in Bopal, Ahmedabad.
• By enabling private sector participation, IN-SPACe aims to boost India’s space economy, foster innovation, and enhance the country’s global standing in space technology.
• The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) is an autonomous, single-window nodal agency under the Department of Space (DOS).
• Established following space sector reforms, its primary objective is to facilitate and promote the participation of Non-Governmental Entities (NGEs) in India’s space activities.
• IN-SPACe is responsible for promoting, enabling, authorizing, and supervising various space activities conducted by NGEs. This includes the development of launch vehicles and satellites, as well as the provision of space-based services.
• The agency facilitates the sharing of space infrastructure and premises controlled by DOS/ISRO with private players, thereby reducing entry barriers and fostering collaboration.
• IN-SPACe permits the establishment of new space infrastructure and facilities by NGEs, ensuring compliance with safety norms and feasibility assessments.
• Acting as an intermediary between ISRO and NGEs, IN-SPACe assesses how to better utilize India’s space resources and expand space-based activities.