On February 28, the Indian Space Research Organisation’s polar satellite launch vehicle PSLV-C51 lifted off from the Sriharikota spaceport carrying 19 satellites, including a 3U CubeSat (a nanosatellite) that weighs just 1.9kg. Named after Satish Dhawan, one of the pioneers of the Indian space programme, this nanosatellite carried a digital version of Bhagvad Gita, a photograph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and names of 25,000 space enthusiasts.
Developed by a Chennai-based private space company, Space Kidz India (SKI), this satellite is currently in earth’s lower orbit, orbiting its home planet 16 times a day. The ‘all-under-one-roof’ concept of ISRO helped SKI speed up the testing process of its satellite. Also, if not for ISRO’s facilities, the testing and launch of the satellite would have cost the company a huge sum of money.
It was in May 2020 that the Union government had announced its new space legislation. Accordingly, the government opened up ISRO’s facilities for private companies. Also, an independent nodal agency named Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) was created to act as a regulator and enabler for all space activities in India. Post that ISRO is welcoming private companies with open arms, sharing its facilities and technical mentorship. “Space is not only an elite industry but also one of the most expensive industries,” says Srimathy Kesan, founder and chief executive officer, SKI. “Opening up of the facilities [by ISRO] has truly come as a boon for organisations like ours.” According to the founders of Bengaluru-based space startup Pixxel, the establishment of IN-SPACe made communication and collaboration between the private space ecosystem and multiple sectors within the government more streamlined and efficient.
Denne historien er fra July 25, 2021-utgaven av THE WEEK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra July 25, 2021-utgaven av THE WEEK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Trump And The Crisis Of Liberalism
Although Donald Trump's election to a non-consecutive second term to the US presidency is not unprecedented—Grover Cleveland had done it in 1893—it is nevertheless a watershed moment.
What Will It Take To Clean Up Delhi Air?
IT IS ASKED, year after year, why Delhi’s air remains unbreathable despite several interventions to reduce pollution.
Men eye the woman's purse
A couple of months ago, I chanced upon a young 20-something man at my gym walking out with a women’s sling bag.
When trees hold hands
A filmmaker explores the human-nature connect through the living root bridges
Ms Gee & Gen Z
The vibrant Anuja Chauhan and her daughter Nayantara on the generational gap in romance writing
Vikram Seth-a suitable man
Our golden boy of literature was the star attraction at the recent Shillong Literary Festival in mysterious Meghalaya.
Superman bites the dust
When my granddaughter Kim was about three, I often took her to play in a nearby park.
OLD MAN AND THE SEA
Meet G. Govinda Menon, the 102-year-old engineer who had a key role in surveying the Vizhinjam coast in the 1940s, assessing its potential for an international port
Managing volatility: smarter equity choices in uncertain markets
THE INDIAN STOCK MARKET has delivered a strong 11 per cent CAGR over the past decade, with positive returns for eight straight years.
Investing in actively managed low-volatility portfolios keeps risks at bay
AFTER A ROARING bull market over the past year, equity markets in the recent months have gone into a correction mode as FIIs go on a selling spree. Volatility has risen and investment returns are hurt.
