Indian startups to launch space satellites soon: Union Minister Jitendra Singh

Union Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh on Monday said Indian startups will soon launch space satellites as well as satellite constellations and test-fire their rockets.

Speaking at the Indian Space Conclave here on the occasion of the first anniversary of the Indian Space Association, ISpA, Jitendra Singh said Prime Minister Modi’s “revolutionary and unconventional decision” to unlock the space sector for private industry in June 2020 has changed the very nature of the space ecosystem of the country.

The minister also informed that five PSLVs are being manufactured in the country by L&T and HAL while OneWeb is ready to launch its satellites through ISRO and NSIL.

Singh said the space reforms have unleashed the innovative potential of startups and in a short period of time, “from a few space startups three-four years ago, today we have 102 startups working in cutting-edge areas of space debris management, nanosatellites, launch vehicles, ground systems, research, etc.”

With the integration of R&D, academia and industry with equal share, it is safe to say that the space revolution led by ISRO along with the private sector and start-ups is on the horizon, the minister said.

Singh said the strength and innovative potential of the country’s young and private industrial enterprise will take a leading role in the disruption of global space technology in times to come. He expressed hope that India’s young tech wizards will break new barriers in the field of space technology as they tackle the limitless opportunities offered by the space field.

The Minister lauded the role of ISpA for doing a great job in developing and forming global linkages for the growth of the Indian space industry in a short span of one year. He said that ISpA members continuously strive to undertake policy advocacy and engage in mutual knowledge and vision to make India a flag bearer in the field of space technology.

ISpA acts as a major player in complementing the Indian government’s efforts to make India a leader in the arena of commercialized space exploration. He said that ISpA’s role as a community for purposeful interactions between key stakeholders is becoming vital and critical.

The minister hoped that the ISpA, upholding the motto of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, would usher in important technological advancements and investments in the country that would ultimately create high-skilled job opportunities while following the government’s approach to space reforms.

Speaking on the strategic importance of space in view of recent global conflicts, Jitendra Singh said that space, a dual-use technology domain, is emerging as an important multilateral tool that provides unprecedented reach.

He added that many nations today are focusing on developing their military space capabilities to ensure safe, secure and friendly use along with the deterrence capability to deny it to adversaries when necessary.

Singh clarified that India has also decided to use the strengths of this emerging dimension of warfare and in fact the Indian government is taking strong and decisive steps to secure Atmanirbharta in the space sector to ensure that “our private industrial capacity and capability are effectively activated and aimed at developing cutting-edge solutions that will give India a decisive edge over others in times to come”.

According to a release, the minister highlighted the constructive role of ISpA in engaging with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, the Ministry of Defense and the three services to address their requirements and said that ISpA will play a much deeper role in supporting capability and capacity building initiatives. of the government in the future.