What is Indian Space Association, Its Significance, Aim and Stakeholders

Table of Content

• Indian Space Association: What is its significance?
• Who are the Stakeholders in ISpA?
• Indian Space Association: What are its Aims?
• Four Pillars of ISpA
• What type of growth is being seen in space-based communication networks?
• Satellite Internet: Why is it Important?

Indian Space Association: What is its significance?

It was established to act as the unified voice of the Indian private space sector and indicates the government's willingness to make space available to private players, as many other countries have been doing for some time now. Space exploration and innovation have seen an increased boost since private interest in space exploration and innovation has grown. This was evident in the achievements of Virgin Galactic, Blue Shephard and SpaceX, among others. With the connections between its public and private sectors improved and startups and companies supported in space, India may be looking to replicate the same success. Technology has seen its way down from the space arena to everyday life, resulting in innovations that have been possible with boosting the technological advancements in the sector.

As the world copes with extreme weather events and attempts to measure its own emissions, advanced satellite tracking and measuring systems are now essential. However, the new body also has the potential to benefit agriculture and horticulture. More accurate weather forecasts would also enable an in-depth look into the ecology of the present as well as more accurate predictions of natural disasters.

Since India's space programme began in 1969, ISRO has contributed to its success primarily through research and development. The Indian space domain is garnering interest from both international and domestic private sector entities, and space-based communication networks are on the horizon.

Who are the Stakeholders in ISpA?

In addition to leading Indian companies, leading companies from other countries will serve on the council. Members of the founding group include Larson & Toubro, Nelco (Tata Group), OneWeb, Bharti Airtel, Mapmyindia, Walchandnagar Industries and Ananth Technology Limited. In a press release, the PMO noted that there are other core members, including Godrej, Hughes India, Azista-BST Aerospace, BEL, Centum Electronics and Maxar India.

Satyam Kushwaha will be one of the Indian Space Association's directors along with former Lieutenant General A.K. Bhatt, who will serve as the organization's director-general.

Indian Space Association: What are its Aims?

Through the agency, the private sector will have the opportunity to engage in innovation and exploration in the Space Field. Government and private businesses have been increasingly cooperating on space technology in recent years, but this field remains a sensitive area for governmental regulations.'Atmarnirbhar Bharat' will focus on boosting India's capabilities in the space sector and advocating self-reliance. In a videoconference prior to ISpA's launch, Prime Minister Modi said the Indian Space Research Organisation is being opened up to private companies. Prime Minister Modi also added that innovating exponentially and not linearly is the key in today’s time. Governments need to make this possible by acting as enablers, not handlers. Private businesses can now launch from launch pads that the government provides.

ISpA (Indian Space Association) is built on four pillars:

Prime Minister Modi described the four pillars on which the government bases its approach.

• The first pillar is - freedom of innovation for privately-owned companies.
• The second pillar is -  the role of the government as an enabler.
• The third pillar is -  preparing youth for the future
• The fourth pillar is -  to see the space sector as a resource for the progress of the common man.

Prime Minister Modi also stated that the government should become an "enabler and not a handler" that will ensure cooperation between startups and government and lead to linear and exponential innovation as well. PM Modi also discussed the concept of 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' or self-sufficient India as he pointed out that the space sector has the potential to become a huge growth driver for the whole nation. According to him, the space sector means better mapping, imaging, and connectivity capabilities for India, as well as quicker shipping and delivery for entrepreneurs.

What type of growth is being seen in space-based communication networks?

As the next frontier for providing internet connectivity at the retail level, several Indian and international companies are betting on satellite communication. This includes StarLink from SpaceX, OneWeb from Sunil Bharti Mittal, Amazon's Project Kuiper, Hughes Communications, etc. Among the constellations that OneWeb plans to build is 648 low-earth orbit satellites. The first 322 satellites have already been launched. Alaska, Canada, and the United Kingdom will benefit from its services this year. OneWeb plans to begin offering its high-speed, low-latency connectivity services in India and other markets by late 2022. Likewise, Amazon and StarLink both plan to apply for a satellite-based internet service licence from the Indian government. More than 1,300 of SpaceX's satellites are currently in orbit. SpaceX's goal is to have 12,000 satellites in orbit.

Satellite Internet: Why is it Important?

Satellite internet is predicted to be essential for providing broadband services in remote areas and sparsely populated areas where terrestrial networks cannot reach or haven’t reached yet. For now, satellite communications remain the exclusive domain of organizations and businesses that use them only in emergencies, for transcontinental communications that cannot be interrupted, and in remote areas where connectivity is limited. The number of satellite communications customers in India was 3 lakh in August, while it was 45 lakh in the US and 21 lakh in the EU.

The launch of ISpA shows Government's Seriousness, companies say

Members of ISpA include OneWeb, Bharti Airtel, Mapmyindia, Walchandnagar Industries, L&T, ADTL, and Ananth Technologies Ltd, as well as several others that have helped support ISRO with launches and development.  Astrome Technologies, Pixxel, Agnikul Cosmos, Digantra, and Skyroot Aerospace are among the few companies that have become members. The launch event was attended by representatives from the participating companies.

According to Astrome Technologies Co-Founder and Chief Executive Neha Satak at the launch, the private space industry hopes to build sustainable businesses that will serve the world. "I would like India to become the global hub for space technology and products. I am confident we have the brains, the legacy, and most importantly, the motivation to succeed," she said.

Awais Ahmed, the Pixxel CEO and Founder noted that the PM's decision to launch this agency "suggests that the government is serious about catalyzing this area" Moreover, we have continued to participate in ISRO's chairmanship meetings as well as meetings with the newly formed IN-SPACe. To truly realize the vision of India becoming a global private space powerhouse, there's a lot of implementation to be done, but as long as ISpA and space companies remain proactive and engage the government, we'll get there," Ahmed told. In sharing information and ideas, large corporations, MSMEs and start-ups alike represent a balanced regulatory regime, Mr Ahmed added.