GS Paper 3
Syllabus: Awareness in the fields of Space
Source: TH
Context: India’s modest entry into the First Space Age followed by its many gains should be used to help the country tap the vast potential of the Second Space Age.
Background:
| First Space Age | Second Space Age |
| Began in 1957 with the launch of Sputnik 1 and ended in 1991 | Began in the 1990s and continues to the present day |
| US and USSR governments dominated with 60-120 space launches annually | More actors involved, including countries and private companies |
| Mostly government-owned and controlled | 90% of global space launches since 2020 are by and for the private sector |
| India’s space journey started in the 1960s with the launch of the U.S.-supplied Nike-Apache sounding rocket and the establishment of ISRO in 1969, which prioritizes societal benefits | The emergence of cable TV, d2h, smartphones, Broadband, OTT, and 5G led to increased demand for satellite transponders and ground-based services |
Journey of ISRO:
The Indian private sector in the Second Space Age:
- From less than a dozen space start-ups five years ago, there are over 100 today.
- The pace of investment is growing (from $30 million in 2018, it doubled to $65 million in 2021).
Size of Indian space economy: Estimated to be about $10 billion in 2020 and expected to be $13 billion by 2025 (global space economy – from $450 to $600 billion between 2020-25).
Potential:
- Much greater ~$60 billion by 2030.
- The private sector is poised for take-off as a transformative growth multiplier.
How can this potential be achieved?
- Enabling policy and regulatory environment, directly creating over 2 lakh jobs.
- In terms of end-user revenue, media and entertainment account for 26% of India’s space economy, with consumer and retail services accounting for another 21%.
- The share generated by the government needs to be increased (from only a fifth now).
- In terms of space activities, the share of upstream activities needs to be increased.
- Downstream activities are dominant – over 70% of India’s space economy.
- Upstream activities of satellite manufacturing and launch services contribute to the smaller share.
Challenge and opportunity: Regulation of the Indian private sector domain, which also provides a scope of expansion.
Insta Links:
Milestones in India’s Space Programme
Mains Links:
Discuss India’s achievements in the field of Space Science and Technology. How has the application of this technology helped India in its socioeconomic development? (UPSC 2016)
Prelims Links: (UPSC 2016)
With reference to `Astrosat’, the astronomical observatory launched by India, which of the following statements is/are correct?
- Other than the USA and Russia, India is the only country to have launched a similar observatory into space.
- Astrosat is a 2000 kg satellite placed in an orbit at 1650 km above the surface of the Earth.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
Ans: D
