Sansad TV Special - Space and Beyond: The Rise of ISRO | 27 Aug 2024

Why in News? 

Recently, National Space Day was celebrated to commemorate the successful landing of the Vikram Lander on the surface of the Moon on 23rd August 2023. 

• With the launch of Chandrayaan-3 in 2023, India became the fourth nation to successfully land on the Moon and the first to reach its southern polar region. 
• This day highlights India's space exploration capabilities and aims to inspire future generations to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), contributing to India's ongoing space endeavors. 

What are the Recent Major Developments in India’s Space Sector? 

• Recent Findings of Chandrayaan-3: The terrain surrounding Chandrayaan 3’s landing site is relatively uniform. Beneath the lunar surface, there was once a vast sea of hot, molten rock or magma.  
  • The Moon’s crust formed in layers, supporting the lunar magma ocean (LMO) hypothesis.  
  • Additionally, the topsoil near the lunar south pole contains an unexpectedly high concentration of minerals that make up the lower layers of the lunar crust. 
• Aditya-L1 Mission:The Aditya-L1 solar observatory, launched in September 2023, has been designed to study the Sun from the first Earth-Sun Lagrange point, L1. 
  • It completed its inaugural orbit around the L1 point in July 2024 and has already made significant contributions to the study of solar storms.  
• XPoSat Launch: In January 2024, The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched the X-ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat) to investigate radiation polarization in space.  
  • This satellite is the second space-based observatory of its kind, following NASA’s Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IPEX), which was launched in 2021 
• Gaganyaan TV-D1 Test: ISRO executed its Flight Test Vehicle Abort Mission-1 (TV-D1), featuring a modified L-40 Vikas engine for the Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission.  
  • This test validated the Crew Escape System (CES) capabilities, including vehicle separation, crew module safety, and deceleration before splashdown in the Bay of Bengal. 
• RLV-TD Experiments: ISRO performed two landing experiments with a scaled-down version of the Reusable Launch Vehicle, Pushpak, in March and June 2024.  
  • These tests simulated space landing conditions, with Pushpak being released from a Chinook helicopter to evaluate landing performance. 
• SSLV Development: In August 2024, ISRO conducted the 3rd and final development flight of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV), successfully launching the EOS-08 and SR-0 Demosat satellites into orbit.  
  • With two consecutive successful test flights, ISRO concluded SSLV development and transitioned it to industry. 
• Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM): India's Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), the country’s first interplanetary mission, was launched aboard PSLV-C25 in 2013. 
  • ISRO became the fourth space agency to successfully place a spacecraft in Mars orbit. 
  • The MOM aims to demonstrate advanced technology for autonomous operation during its journey and orbit insertion around Mars, while studying Martian surface features, mineralogy, and atmosphere with its five scientific payloads. 
• Private Space Missions: In March 2024, Agnikul Cosmos achieved the first launch of its SoRTeD-01 vehicle, powered by a semi-cryogenic engine in its first stage from Indian soil.  
  • Skyroot Aerospace is advancing towards its Vikram 1 launch vehicle.  
  • Dhruva Space and Bellatrix Aerospace conducted experiments on the fourth stage of the PSLV-C58 mission in January 2024, using it as an orbiting platform for their payloads. 

What are Upcoming Space Missions by ISRO? 

• Chandrayaan-4: India’s Chandrayaan-4 mission, set for 2027, will be a sample return mission designed to bring rock and soil samples from the Moon to Earth.  
  • The spacecraft will consist of five modules, in contrast to the three modules of Chandrayaan-3, which included a propulsion module, a lander, and a rover.  
  • The mission will involve several stages, after entering lunar orbit, two modules will detach and land on the Moon to collect samples.  
  • One module will then return to the main spacecraft in lunar orbit with the samples. These samples will be transferred to a separate Earth re-entry vehicle, which will bring them back to Earth. 
• Gaganyaan Mission: Gaganyaan project envisages demonstration of human spaceflight capability by launching a crew of 3 members to an orbit of 400 km (Low Earth Orbit (LEO)) for 3 days. 
  • ISRO is focusing on training its astronaut-candidates, known as Gaganyatris, for spaceflight.  
  • ISRO will conduct at least four more abort tests before the crewed flight, with the first uncrewed Gaganyaan mission expected in late 2024. Additionally, ISRO plans to establish an Indian space station, the Bhartiya Antriksh Station (BAS), by 2035. 
• Next-Generation Launch Vehicle: To support the BAS and a comprehensive lunar program, ISRO is developing a new launch vehicle, the Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV), designed to handle heavier payloads than the current PSLV or GSLV rockets.  
  • The NGLV will be a three-stage vehicle with a semi-cryogenic engine, a liquid engine, and a cryogenic engine. 
• NISAR: NASA-ISRO SAR (NISAR) is a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) observatory being jointly developed by NASA and ISRO.  
  • It will map the entire globe in 12 days and provide spatially and temporally consistent data for understanding changes in Earth’s ecosystems, ice mass, vegetation biomass, sea level rise, ground water and natural hazards including earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes and landslides. 

What are the Major Challenges in the Indian Space Sector? 

• Limited Budget: India's space budget is significantly smaller compared to other major space-faring nations. 
  • In 2023-24, ISRO’s budget was about USD 1.7 billion, significantly less than NASA’s budget of USD 25.3 billion. 
  • This limited funding constrains the scope and scale of projects that can be undertaken. 
• Technology Gap: While India has made remarkable progress, there's still a technology gap in certain advanced areas like human spaceflight, reusable launch vehicles, and deep space exploration. 
• Private Sector Participation: Despite recent policy changes to encourage private participation, the Indian space sector remains largely dominated by the government. 
  • Start-up funding has increased in recent years but despite the increase in early-stage and seed-stage funding, the emerging ecosystem for private sector involvement in Indian space technology startups has yet to see any late-stage investment. 
  • Also, this sector has yet to witness the emergence of unicorns. 
• Commercial Viability: Developing a commercially viable space industry beyond government contracts remains a challenge. 
  • The global commercial space market was valued at about USD 630 billion in 2023 (as per McKinsey & Company), but India's share is around 2-3%. 
• Underdeveloped Domestic Supply Chain: The Indian space sector faces challenges due to an underdeveloped domestic supply chain for essential components and materials, leading to heavy reliance on imports.  
  • In FY 2021-22, imports amounted to Rs 2,114 crore, while exports were only Rs 174.9 crore. This dependence on imports raises costs and risks program schedules and national security. . 
• Infrastructure and Manufacturing: India lacks advanced manufacturing capabilities for certain critical space technologies and components. 
  • For example, India still imports many high-end sensors and electronic components for its satellites. 
• International Collaboration: While India has collaborations with several countries, it's not part of major international space projects like the International Space Station. 
  • Geopolitical considerations sometimes limit India's access to certain technologies and partnerships. 
• Space Debris Management: As India increases its space activities, managing space debris becomes crucial. 
  • According to ISRO’s Space Situational Assessment Report, 2023 82 rocket bodies from Indian launches were placed in orbit till 2023.  
  • The upper stage of PSLV-C3 underwent an accidental break-up in 2001 and generated 371 debris. 52 PSLV-C3 debris were still in orbit till the end of 2023. 
• Regulatory Framework: The regulatory environment for private space activities is still evolving. 
  • The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe) was established in 2020 to regulate private sector space activities, but the framework is still being refined. 
• Insufficient Academia-Industry-Government Collaboration: Collaboration among academic institutions, industry, and government agencies in the space sector is currently inadequate.  
  • A Thomson Reuters report shows that only 0.4% of the patents have been a result of collaboration between industry and academia. 
  • The absence of a structured framework for transferring technology from research institutions to industry impedes innovation. Although ISRO’s interactions with universities are improving, they remain limited in both scope and scale. 

Way Forward 

• Increase Budget Allocation:  
  • A larger budget would allow for more comprehensive research, development, and implementation of advanced space technologies. 
  • In Budget 2024-25, the Department of Space received an 18% hike over its expenses in 2023-2024. 
• Boost Private Sector Participation: 
  • Implementing The Indian Space Policy 2023 is crucial to provide a clear regulatory framework for private companies.  
  • With the goal of expanding the space economy by five times in the next 10 years, a pool of Rs.1,000 crore, or around USD 120 million, as venture capital funding for space start-ups was announced in Budget 2024-25 . 
  • Encouraging public-private partnerships (PPPs) for space projects can leverage the strengths of both sectors, fostering innovation and efficiency. 
  • Focus on Technology Development: 
  • Significant investment in Research and Development (R&D) for critical technologies is essential. This includes developing reusable launch vehicles to reduce launch costs, advancing propulsion systems for more efficient space travel, and creating space-grade electronics to enhance satellite capabilities.  
• Human Resource Development: 
  • Enhancing space education programs in universities is vital to create a skilled workforce.  
  • Creating exchange programs with leading global space agencies can facilitate knowledge sharing and expose Indian scientists and engineers to cutting-edge practices. 
• Enhance Manufacturing Capabilities: 
  • Encouraging technology transfer from global leaders through strategic partnerships can help India quickly advance its manufacturing capabilities in specialized space technologies. 
• International Collaboration: 
  • India's participation in the Artemis Accords facilitates access to advanced training, technological advancements, and scientific opportunities.  
  • Active participation in global space initiatives and missions can enhance India's reputation and provide valuable learning opportunities.  
• Commercialization of Space Services: 
  • Developing and promoting commercial applications of space technology in sectors like agriculture, disaster management, and telecommunications can create new revenue streams.  
  • Supporting the development of a space tourism industry could position India at the forefront of this emerging market, attracting both domestic and international investment. 
• Space Debris Management: 
  • Investing in technologies for space debris removal and mitigation is crucial for sustainable space operations.  
  • Recently, ISRO reiterated its commitment to conduct debris-free space missions by 2030.