Leading role of private sector in space industry

Context:

India has set ambitious goals for its space programme over the next two decades. These goals also depend on powerful and reusable rockets like the upcoming Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV) of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Apart from NGLV, India should use the private sector to develop other such rockets to achieve strategic autonomy in its access to outer space.

India's position in the space sector:

• From a small space programme in the 1960s, India has become a powerful space-faring nation. Preparations are underway for the Gaganyaan mission. Gaganyaan will carry an Indian crew to space for the first time, demonstrating Indian human-spaceflight capability.
• To expand its reach in space, India is focusing on multiple unmanned missions to the Moon, specialising in human-centric technologies for space travel and developing powerful new rockets.
• ISRO is meeting these requirements with its upcoming NGLV, the development of which has recently been approved by the Union Cabinet.
• By the end of the next decade, India aims to have a more permanent presence in space by establishing its own space station in Earth orbit. It also aims to extend its manned spaceflight capabilities to the Moon.

About Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV)

• The Next-Gen Launch Vehicle is a three-stage vehicle that will be a cost-efficient and reusable heavy-lift vehicle. It will be placed in Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO) with a payload capacity of 10 tonnes.
• It will use semi-cryogenic propulsion for the booster stage which is cheap and efficient.
• The potential use of this vehicle will be to launch communication satellites, deep space missions, future human spacecraft and cargo missions.

Importance of NGLV:

• The importance of NGLV lies in its heavy lift capability and reusability. It will triple the payload capacity of LVM 3 (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk III), which is India's most powerful rocket.
  • GSLV Mk III is also known as Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3).
• It has many advantages. Heavy lift rockets reduce the limitations related to weight and volume. It solves the problem of miniaturization or weight reduction of vehicles for engineers and scientists. It greatly increases the capability of space related missions.
• Unlike all the existing rockets of India, a large part of NGLV will be reusable. Other rockets are designed for one-time use.
• Reuse requires the rocket to retain some of its fuel for a controlled descent back to Earth.
• This compromises the rocket's heavy lift capability but provides huge cost savings. Reuse has become essential for rockets to remain competitive.

Importance of private sector:

• In parallel with India developing NGLVs, the Department of Space could award contracts to private industry in India to design and develop their own reusable, heavy lift rockets. Space is an emerging sector with huge potential for commercialisation.
• These contracts are likely to receive a fair push from the private sector in India. Indian corporations may explore foreign collaborations despite the lack of existing faculty in rocket technology.
  • For example, various rocket engines are already being sold commercially.
• Under the contracts, the Department of Space pays the private sector after certain milestones are met at each stage. This is an excellent way to ensure accountability and reduce cost overruns.
• The entire range of space activities depends on the flexible supply of space transportation services, from using satellite data for development to expanding Indian presence to the Moon and Mars.

Way Forward:

• These rockets have to carry heavy payloads to support humans in space. They must also be economically viable as there will be many test flights to reach safety and reliability standards for human-spaceflight to the Moon.
• India should foster a strong ecosystem for the development of a specialized industrial base that can meet India's needs and ambitions in outer space.
• Given the vast scope and capability of ISRO, India needs to put in more effort to build multiple reusable and heavy lift rockets.