India's Ambitious Space Vision

Table of Contents☰

What’s in today’s article?

Why in News?
India’s Space Economy
Scientific Contributions and Legacy of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
Key Upcoming Missions of the ISRO
Way Ahead for India’s Space Vision
Conclusion

Why in News?

In a recent address, ISRO Chairman S. Somanath outlined India’s goals to increase its share in the global space economy, enhance indigenous technological capabilities, and advance a series of high-impact space missions.
The vision highlights India’s roadmap for space exploration and collaboration, aiming to boost India’s position in the space industry significantly.

India’s Space Economy:

Overview:
- India currently contributes about 2% to the global space economy, with a goal to increase this share to at least 10% over the next decade.
- However, achieving this milestone requires concerted efforts from both ISRO and other stakeholders, including private enterprises and start-ups, within India’s evolving space ecosystem.
Participation of the private sector:
- India’s space sector has seen a surge of activity with recent policy reforms and the opening up of the industry to private enterprises.
- The growing enthusiasm among young entrepreneurs and companies, both large and small, has led to a collaborative environment where private players are taking on roles previously managed solely by ISRO.

Scientific Contributions and Legacy of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO):

Chandrayaan:
- India’s lunar missions, particularly Chandrayaan-1 and Chandrayaan-3, have yielded groundbreaking scientific discoveries.
- Chandrayaan-1 confirmed the presence of water on the Moon, while Chandrayaan-3 has advanced scientific understanding through soft-landing technologies and data collection.
Astrosat and other space observatories:
- India’s first dedicated multi-wavelength space observatory, Astrosat, has facilitated extensive astronomical research, resulting in over 400 scientific papers and more than 30 PhDs.
- The success of this mission has laid a strong foundation for future contributions to space science, including the recently launched Aditya-L1 and XPoSat missions.

Key Upcoming Missions of the ISRO:

Gaganyaan mission: India’s first manned space mission, Gaganyaan, is scheduled for 2026, marking a significant milestone in India’s human spaceflight program.
Chandrayaan-4 Sample Return mission: Planned for 2028, Chandrayaan-4 will focus on returning lunar samples, a step forward in understanding the Moon’s geology and resources.
LUPEX/Chandrayaan-5 mission:
- A collaborative project with Japan’s JAXA, Chandrayaan-5 (formerly Lunar Polar Exploration/ LUPEX) will involve a heavier mission with a 350-kg rover provided by Japan, and the lander by India.
- Expected after 2028, this mission aims to advance lunar science with the eventual goal of a human moon mission by 2040.
NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission:
- The India-US joint NISAR mission, which has faced delays, is scheduled for launch in 2025.
- This satellite mission aims to monitor natural resources and hazards using radar imaging.

Way Ahead for India’s Space Vision:

Reducing dependence on imports:
- Over the past decade, India has significantly reduced its dependence on imported space technologies.
- However, many critical components still come from abroad, underscoring the need to further develop domestic manufacturing capabilities for advanced research and technologies.
Expanding R&D and manufacturing capabilities:
- ISRO is focused on promoting the indigenisation of research, development, and manufacturing, ensuring that critical items for the space sector can be built within the country.
- This shift is crucial to meeting the demands of upcoming missions and achieving self-sufficiency in space technology.

Conclusion:

India’s evolving space program under ISRO’s leadership is shaping up to be a significant force in global space exploration.
With a focus on indigenous technology, private sector engagement, and ambitious missions, India is well on its way to realising its vision of
- Contributing 10% to the global space economy and
- Establishing a robust foundation for long-term space exploration and scientific advancement.

Q.1. What is XPoSat mission?

XPoSat (X-ray Polarimeter Satellite) is the first dedicated scientific satellite from ISRO to carry out research in space-based polarisation measurements of X-ray emission from celestial sources.