ISRO Not Being Privatised: India’s Space Economy Expansion

Context

Questions regarding ISRO’s future have been raised as the government is increasingly looking towards the private sector for its space activities, and the organisation has stated that it will continue to be a government-run body with a growing emphasis on frontier research and advanced space missions.

Key Highlights

• With greater involvement of private companies and industries in space activities, India’s space programme is witnessing a paradigm shift.
• Concerns have been raised among employees and stakeholders about the potential future of privatising the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
• But the space agency has announced that it will remain a government body and the main advanced space research body in India.
• The overarching goal is to foster growth in the space ecosystem in India and create a competitive space economy in the country by enabling the space industry to engage in mature and routine activities.

Why India Needs to Have a Bigger Space Ecosystem?

• The demand for satellites, launch services and space-based applications in India is increasing rapidly.
• The country’s need for future communication, navigation, Earth observation and strategic needs calls for a much greater number of launches.
• The increasing commercial and technological demands of the growing space sector can only be addressed effectively by a government agency.
• Industrial participation can enhance production capacity, minimise delays and allow for the production of a larger number of units.
• The private sector may also have investment, innovation and specific technological skills to offer.

Existing Role of Indian Industry

• Indian industries have already been playing a significant role in the space programme of the country.
• Many of the costs of the space programme are for industries that produce and develop technologies.
• There are hundreds of companies today that supply components, systems and services for India’s space missions.
• Thus, private sector involvement is not a new development, but is being expanded and given a more organized structure.

ISRO’s Future Role

• The space agency is likely to have a greater concentration on areas that require government scientific expertise and long-term research.
• Frontier Research and Development
  • ISRO will keep on conducting cutting-edge scientific research and developing future space technologies.
  • It will target technology, which has a high risk and a long development period.
  • Initially, these technologies may not be a draw for enough private investment.
• Human Spaceflight
  • In order to advance scientific capabilities during human spaceflights and to strategically coordinate the country, advanced scientific capabilities are needed.
  • ISRO will always be at the forefront in developing technologies for human space exploration.
  • This includes life support systems, crew safety, and advanced launch capabilities.
• Deep Space and Planetary Missions
  • Advanced scientific research and a considerable amount of public funding are needed for deep space exploration and planetary missions.
  • ISRO will keep on pushing India’s planetary exploration and deep space research missions.
• Next-Generation Launch Systems
  • Advanced and re-usable launch technologies will continue to be a key research priority.
  • ISRO can concentrate on the development of future technologies while the mature technology of launches is being increasingly manufactured in the industries.
• Strategic National Capabilities
  • Some space technologies are directly related to national security and national interest.
  • Government institutions will continue to play an important role in developing and safeguarding these capabilities.

What Activities Can Be Taken Up by Industry?

• Industry can scale up an increasing number of mature, developed, and already successfully demonstrated technologies.
• The production of launch vehicles can gradually shift towards industrial production.
• Private sector companies and public sector enterprises can also manufacture a larger-scale version of established satellite systems.
• Competitive processes can help to increase efficiency, innovation and production capacity.

Why is This Not Privatisation?

• ISRO Remains a Government Organisation

  • ISRO will remain a publicly funded government organisation.
  • The essence of its mission, scientific research and national space development, is unchanged.

• Change like Work

  • The transformation is proposed as a division of responsibilities, not a withdrawal of the government.
  • ISRO can spend more time on the development of new ideas and concepts, and the industries can focus on the production of large numbers of spacecraft.

• Expansion Rather Than Replacement

  • Private companies are expected to complement ISRO’s capabilities.
  • The aim is to have the overall capacity of India to grow, not supplant the national space agency.
  • This model can enable the government and private sector to be able to contribute to it based on their strengths.

Role of Private Sector in India’s Space Economy

• Private-sector involvement can help in the following areas:
  • Manufacturing of satellites and services.
  • Launch vehicle production.
  • The applications of geospatial and earth observation data.
  • Satellite communication.
  • Space-based navigation services.
  • Launch services.
  • Space technology startups.
  • Data analytics and downstream applications.
  • Reusable space technologies.

Key Challenges

• Workforce Concerns

  • There have been concerns among employees about the future organisation.
  • Job security, recruitment, and changing responsibilities of the current workforce are still concerns.
  • Communication and institutional measures will be needed.

• Technology Transfer

  • Public funding has been used to develop many of the advanced space technologies.
  • The transfer of technology to private companies needs to be transparent and followed by an accountable procedure.
  • Issues of intellectual property and national security need to be taken into account.

• Regulatory Framework

  • An effective regulatory system is needed for private space activities.
  • Safety, security, liability, and environmental issues need to be resolved.

• Maintaining Strategic Autonomy

  • India needs to make sure that while increasing the commercial involvement in these space technologies, strategic control does not get compromised.
  • Government oversight must be used for sensitive technologies and national security capabilities.

Significance for India’s Space Economy

• A robust private sector would enable India to stake a claim to a larger proportion of the increasing size of the global space economy.
• Domestic and international investment can be drawn via commercial participation.
• Costs can be lowered, and the number of launches increased with large-scale manufacturing.
• As there are more competitors, technological innovations might be encouraged.
• A solid space ecosystem can create job opportunities and high-technology opportunities.
• Space technology can also be applied in other industries like agriculture, disaster management, communication, defence and climate monitoring.

Way Ahead

• Clearly define the respective roles of ISRO, government agencies, PSUs and private companies.
• Ensure scientific and strategic integrity of the Indian national space programme.
• Establish clear guidelines on technology transfer and IP rights.
• Communicate and build institutional safeguards to address workforce concerns.
• Enhance the regulatory regime for private space activities.
• Facilitate start-ups and industries by providing access to technology, infrastructure and financing.
• Make sure that the public sector provides funding for frontier research and that private-sector funding complements that investment.
• Make India a hub for low-cost and innovative space technologies in the world.

Source: The Indian Express

Mains PYQ

Q. What is the main task of India’s third moon mission which could not be achieved in its earlier mission? List the countries that have achieved this task. Introduce the subsystems in the spacecraft launched and explain the role of the ‘Virtual Launch Control Centre’ at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, which contributed to the successful launch from Sriharikota. (2023)

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