Seite 2: Two Orbits Intersect: Local + Social

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Indigenisation is the key propellant of India's space milestones. The country is catching the global spotlight not just because how fast, or successful, its missions are; more important is how cost-effective they are. Indian teams have cracked the recipe of affordability in space exploration. Something that the world wants to learn more about.

Aditya-L1, a satellite dedicated to comprehensive study of the Sun, has seven distinct payloads. All have been developed indigenously, five by the public Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), two by Indian academic institutes in collaboration with ISRO. Chandrayaan-3 recently demonstrated Indian capability in safe landing and roving on the lunar surface. It entailed an indigenous lander module (LM), propulsion module (PM). and a rover.

The rocket engine Dhawan-1, which Skyroot test fired in November 2021, has been developed using 3D printing technology. Chandana highlights that the growth of the sector is underpinned by the immense talent pool that India has, the cost-effective and indigenous technology that the country possesses, and the forward vision of the governments which support and lead its journey of growth: "The recent successes highlight India's cost-efficient hardware and highly-reliable space technology capabilities."

That’s where Bhaba would feel happy. And Sarabhai would not be disappointed either, because all these crusades address many on-the-ground issues too. Space exploration leaves a lot of by-products in areas like satellite telephony, alternative fuels, daily-use innovations, and satellite-data applications for agriculture and infrastructure.

In the Fast Lane

If the last decade was a 'lost decade', this one is taking us light-years ahead, remarks Indranil Bandyopadhyay, principal analyst at Forrester. "Remember how prime minister Modi encouraged ISRO to go on despite some hiccups seen in the last few years? That's the overall spirit of Indian space ambitions. We are learning fast and moving fast. The recent successes of missions have unlocked a multiplier effect in the entire ecosystem." Pixxel’s TD-2, for instance, would gather information as critical as natural gas leakages, deforestation, melting ice caps, pollution, and declining crop health.

Being able to predict a famine or a dangerous oil spill will have massive implications for many industries and people. Bandyopadhyay affirms that satellite data is a rich goldmine and many sectors and applications will benefit from it. He quips, "Space is not about rich men's toys anymore." Gupta points out that ISRO plans several satellites in low, mid, and geostationary orbits each, in order to gather real-time information. "There are promising applications in this regard. Internet connectivity will improve due to an increase in the footprint of satellites in remote areas."

Case in point: start-up KaleidEO has built edge algorithms for the detection of clouds, roads, building footprints, and water-bodies, plus templates to detect changes. There is also hope for space-based solar power that may be transmitted to Earth via microwaves or lasers. There are rare minerals in space that could replace silicon and fossil fuels. There is that unique microgravity environment for manufacturing complex and advanced materials in space – something not possible on Earth. The list can go on.

Applications wait to be uncapped – with the use of AI, interplanetary internet infrastructure using laser, deep space networks, and autonomous communication protocols. Looking up there can change a lot on Earth. Specially when done in a bold and cost-effective way.

Not alone, not short-sighted

Remarkably, India is going ahead with the overarching theme of 'One Earth'. Global space-related collaboration could change a lot indeed. Consider how KaleidEO Space Systems, a start-up based out of Bengaluru, collaborated with Satellogic, a satellite constellation and data company from Uruguay, plus hardware for algorithms and implementation support from Spiral Blue, a start-up from Australia. Incidentally, Amazon Web Services (AWS) India also signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding with ISRO and IN-SPACe to support space-tech innovations through cloud computing. India's space program is for peaceful purposes, reminds Gupta: "The NaviC GPS will give us an edge and may bring other nations also to us to use the same. India is collaborating with the Canadian Space Agency, the European Space Agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the Russian State Space Corporation."

As Sarabhai put it: "Those who can hear the music amidst all the noise, achieve great things." A lot of minds and hands in India are busy 'creating' music amidst a lot of noise.

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