ISRO chief says rising interest in building next SpaceX in India

Speaking about the rising interest in private sector space exploration, ISRO Chairman Dr Sreedhara Panicker Somanath revealed that many are eager to build the next SpaceX in India.

He highlighted that the successful suborbital launches by startups Skyroot and Agnikul have inspired a lot of people to take on the challenges of rocket-building in the private sector.

“I see many young people talking to me, (saying), ‘We also want to build a bigger rocket—how can you help me?’ I think this is a very exciting question. I hear from many people, and although they realise the challenges ahead, they all want to become someone who will build the next SpaceX in India,” Dr Somanath noted, during an opening session on Wednesday at the Bengaluru Tech Summit 2024.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is playing an active role in the growth of startups in the space economy, including Agnikul Cosmos, Skyroot Aerospace, Pixxel, Dhruva Space, and Bellatrix Aerospace.

The ISRO chief pointed out that the Indian space ecosystem is growing, with a vision to expand fivefold in the next 20 years. Currently contributing less than 2% to the global space economy, India aims to claim at least a 10% share as the sector evolves.

This growth should span upstream, midstream, and downstream segments, including spacecraft, launch vehicles, and applications, however, prioritising downstream, where talent and potential are abundant, is key to driving overall sector growth, he said.

The downstream segment encompasses services derived from space, such as imaging and communication (e.g., SpaceX’s Starlink broadband).

Dr Somanath noted that building small satellites is becoming a significant activity across the country, with at least five companies now involved in satellite development, having established their facilities. Many are also scaling up their ability to collaborate and contribute to subsystems for rockets and satellites.

From the Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan) reaching Mars orbit on its maiden attempt to Chandrayaan-3 achieving a soft landing on the moon, these low-cost projects have elevated India’s position in space geopolitics.

The ISRO chief noted that efforts are focused on increasing capability in India and reducing the cost of access, as traditionally, the nation has been known for doing this at a low cost.

The space agency is working on developing a series of rockets at significantly lower costs, with a target to build a next-generation launch vehicle. This vehicle will have a payload capacity that is three times higher than current models, while keeping costs at no more than 150% of today's expenses. The goal is to achieve this within the next two to three years.

Anthariksh

Speaking about the Gaganyaan Mission, India’s first human spaceflight programme, he explained that it was a major project that has been underway for the last four years, with the aim of launching the nation’s first crewed space mission by 2026. 

The uncrewed mission, a key milestone, is scheduled for early next year, with rocket parts already at the launch complex, he noted, adding that ISRO is also focused on developing the necessary technology for human spaceflight within India. 

Dr Somanath also spoke about the country's vision to achieve a human landing on the moon by 2040.

“This is an important vision statement, like the one which the US did many years back which changed the destiny of the science and technology growth in the US. But then for India this is a very long-term vision considering the nature of the nation and the demand of the technological capability that we have today,” he added.

While it may not seem like an impossible task, there is still much work to be done, such as scaling up the rockets and constructing a space station, which is called the Bharatiya Anthariksh Station, he stated.

According to him, the primary goal is to develop the capability for humans to stay in space for extended durations, conduct scientific missions such as microgravity experiments, and support research in this field, particularly related to space exposure.

Bengaluru ecosystem

The ISRO chief highlighted that Bengaluru is one of the biggest suppliers of the components and avionics for many of the satellites programmes.

During the session, the Government of Karnataka launched the draft of the Karnataka Space Technology Policy, 2024 - 2029.

The draft policy outlines the Government of Karnataka’s vision for the space sector, aiming to capture 50% of the national market share and transform the state into a global hub for space technologies.

The Government of Karnataka’s strategy focuses on key areas such as skill development to make students and professionals employment-ready for the space sector. It also includes investment incentives, the creation of manufacturing parks and testing centres for space companies, and initiatives to support startups and MSMEs with research, development, IP creation, and marketing efforts.