Kailasavadivoo Sivan, the chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) confirmed private farms will now be able to build satellites and rockets and launch them from Indian soil. At a Thursday press conference, he confirmed ISRO will focus on building technologies and undertaking deep space missions. Mr Sivan explained: “An open and inclusive space sector will result in accelerated growth, job creation as well as innovations and will enable the Indian space industry to be a significant player in the global space economy.
According to Economic Times, India has 15 communication satellites and 13 remote sensing satellites.
Srinath Ravichandran, co-founder of Agnikul Aerospace said: “What is very positive is that the Chairman spoke about enabling private players, clarified how quickly the Department of Space is willing to act on this and also mentioned that In-Space would be both autonomous and independent.”
Entrepreneur Susmita Mohanty added: “The new reforms will need careful detailing, inclusion of global best practices, proper implementation to ensure speed, fairness and long-term impact.
It will need to be bolstered with a robust funding ecosystem for the private sector, akin to the United States and Europe.”
ISRO is believed to have a budget of $1.9billion (£1.5billion).
The Department of Space is the parent agency.
Founded in the 1960s by Jawaharlal Nehru, the department’s minister is currently Lok Sabha MP Dr Jitendra Singh.
In 2018, Dr Singh and Mr Sivan confirmed plans for a manned Moon mission by 2022.
Dr Sivan said three Indian astronauts “will reach space within 16 minutes of the launch from Sriharikota”.
The government has suggested at least one of the astronauts on the mission will be a woman.
A shortlist is believed to have been written last year.
Kalpana Chawla, one of the seven astronauts who lost their lives in the 2003 Space Shuttle Colombia disaster was born in India.
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Ms Chawla first moved to the United States to complete a Master of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington.
She was honoured in India following her death.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee, then Prime Minister, announced a series of meteorological satellites were to be renamed after her.
The government of the state of Karnataka, announced an award named after her to honour young female scientists.
All astronauts who have set foot on the Moon have been American.
India launched an unmanned mission last summer.
However, the lander module lost contact with the space station.
The mission was intended to study craters thought to contain water.
A successful soft landing on the Moon would have made India only the fourth country to do so after the USSR, USA and China.
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