India’s space achievements win global admiration: ISRO
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, Aug 1: The Indian space sector is aiming to achieve an 8 to 10 per cent share in the global commercial space market over the next 10 years, and for that, a lot of work needs to be done, ISRO Chairman Dr V Narayanan said here on Friday.
In an exclusive interview with PTI Videos, Narayanan said India needs to improve infrastructure, industry-led development, and manufacturing capabilities.
At present, India’s share in the global commercial space market is less than 2 per cent.
“In the initial phase of our activities, we were not focusing on the commercial aspect. But today, we are in the commercial field,” Narayanan said.
He said India’s OneWeb India Mission helped improve the country’s commercial credibility-a project indigenously developed due to geopolitical reasons following the Ukraine war.
“Using one rocket, we had to place 36 satellites into orbit. Achieving a difference of just a few centimetres in orbital placement is not an easy task. We accomplished it through a unique scheme, demonstrating a commercially successful mission. It surprised the entire international community,” he said.
He added that India has so far carried out 14 commercial launches.
“A country that did not have satellite technology, launch vehicle technology, or application-oriented capability 50 years ago has now launched 433 satellites for 32 countries. So, we are in the game,” he said.
Narayanan said ISRO would soon launch a 6,500-kg commercial satellite from the United States using its Mark III rocket, the last of three missions India is undertaking in coordination with NASA. India had successfully launched the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite-the costliest satellite launched so far-on July 30 using the Mark II F16 rocket.
The ISRO chairman said that since the Prime Minister rolled out space sector reforms to encourage public-private partnerships, capacity building has been steadily increasing.
Narayanan lauded India’s remarkable journey in space technology over the past five decades.
“India’s space technology has advanced to such an extent that even leading global powers view it with admiration,” he was quoted as saying in an official release.
He said that indigenous developments in high-strength stainless steel, advanced composites with low thermal conductivity, and other strategic materials signify the nation’s increasing self-reliance.
Narayanan called for a collaborative effort between CSIR and ISRO under the National Critical Minerals Mission to drive innovation and achieve technological sovereignty in the field of advanced materials.
He stated that as the nation completes 77 years of independence, it has achieved significant progress in all sectors, including science and technology.
The ISRO chairman noted that CSIR has made remarkable contributions to this progress. He praised CSIR’s initiatives, ranging from ensuring food security to producing useful materials from waste.
Narayanan remarked that the July 30 launch of NISAR, a collaborative satellite by ISRO and NASA, was a “historic milestone”. (PTI)