'ISRO aims to empower startups, MSMEs to carry out their own space missions,' says K Sivan

After the recent announcement of space sector reforms, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman Dr. K Sivan announced that India's space agency will provide various opportunities to startups and MSMEs for developing products and services and will also empower them to carry out their own space missions. Sivan said that a new programme aimed at helping firms in innovation, research and product development is currently underway, adding that new policies are also being made to encourage private sector participation in the space sector.

Speaking at the International Space Conference on Ushering the New Era for Indian Space Sector, held from September 15-17, Dr. K Sivan, ISRO Chairman and the Secretary at the Department of Space (DoS), said DoS is also working towards creating a formal system to support space sector startups and MSMEs in taking up innovation, research, as well as product development. He also said domestic and international space requirements have increased multifold, and thus private sectors must come forward to contribute while addressing the conference virtually.

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DoS is presently working on the SEED programme

Dr. K Sivan further said that DoS is presently working on the SEED (Space Enterprise Encouragement and Development) programme, which is aimed at supporting the startups and MSMEs in innovation, research, and product development, and will also help them solve any problems which they may face during solution development. He also said new policies such as launch vehicle policy and space exploration policy will also be added. 

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"We need to do some of the activities to ensure that there is no hardship, so a comprehensive space act is required, as well as the different policies should be in place, and they are in the pipeline, with the opening of the space sector," Sivan said.

SATCOM and remote sensing data policy amendment

He also revealed that the existing space policies on SATCOM and remote sensing data are being amended for 'greater inclusivity and transparency. Adding further he said the aim of ISRO is to cover the entire gamut of space activities through policies, by putting in place the space act, which will ensure easy business for the private sector. On June 24 the Union Cabinet had approved participation of the private sector in the entire range of space activities, including planetary exploration missions.

R Umamaheshwaran, Scientific Secretary at ISRO, reiterated that the nodal agency IN-SPACe, a vertical under the Department of Space, will operate independently and will be responsible for promotion, monitoring and handholding of the private players. It will also be responsible for coming up with an ‘Integrated Launch Manifest’, which will set boundaries between the private players, ISRO, and New Space India Limited (NSIL), the commercial arm of ISRO, he added.

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(With inouts from PTI)