India transitions to private sector involvement in national space program

…space policy has allowed the private sector to “build rockets and satellites and do independent business as well as to get access to public infrastructure so that we can take the country to the next orbit”. He adds: “ For, though we are a space power, India only has 2% share in the overall market. ” While startups are innovating and building rockets from scratch, a key aspect of the space policy has been to transfer the manufacture of mature launchers like small satellite launch vehicles (SSLVs) and polar…

…and missions. Subba Rao Pavuluri, founder of Ananth Technologies and former ISRO scientist, sees the interplay between the space agency and private industry as a natural progression of the sector’s transition. “ Whenever change comes, there is confusion, but that doesn’t mean there is problem ,” he says, pointing to similar changes in sectors such as telecom and defence. FIND THE RIGHTFUL SPACE The senior figure, who has spoken to ET on condition of anonymity, also suggests that ISRO and the broader space…

…ISRO and the broader space ecosystem should do a better job of communicating to internal stakeholders like employee unions what this transition entails. This is also a key demand of the unions.As their letter says, “ Serving employees have an earned right to be informed, consulted and protected. Natural justice and good administration require that policy of this magnitude be explained to the workforce by the Department itself. ” The concerns are likely to come into focus on October 7, when the ISRO Pensioners Association will hold a conference on the “Future of ISRO” in Thiruvananthapuram. Several former officials are expected to attend it.…