India announced that its Department of Space is developing a comprehensive and integrated space policy. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is working to develop the capacity for space tourism. Union Minister Jitendra Singh announced the news on Sunday.
Image Credits- India Today
The Department of Space is developing a comprehensive and integrated space policy. The minister said that the Indian space industry will give direction to private activity. They made the statement on July 21, 2010 when they were responding to the questions put to them by the members of parliament.
India’s National Space Promotion and Licensing Center – also known as IN-SPACE seeks to promote active participation of the private sector in end-to-end space activities, including space tourism, he said. In-SPACE is an autonomous entity under the Department of Space to promote, manage and facilitate private sector activities in the space sector. In the West, three billionaire entrepreneurs, Richard Branson, Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, are competing to usher in a new era of commercial space tourism. The three have invested billions of dollars in their space companies, each promising their customers a ride to space.
Other space agencies
This month, Musk’s SpaceX plane broke its own record for the most rockets launched in a year, surpassing last year’s 31 missions in its campaign to launch its own Internet satellites into orbit. In April, Bezos’ Amazon rocket Invasion launched with three companies to coordinate a satellite constellation that will compete with SpaceX’s Starlink for broadband internet.
Branson’s space tourism company Virgin Galactic Holdings will see its next commercial flight in the first quarter of 2023, after completing a structural overhaul of its current carrier aircraft, VMS Eve. According to Weyo News, for indigenous space tourism to become a reality in India (as per the minister) it will require all the following – seamless success of the Gaganyaan programme, consistent repeatability, development and successful flights. A usable rocket intended to be boarded by tourists, ensuring that all systems are reliable and low-cost that can be used as a business, etc. All this requires time (in decades), large-scale investment and real commitment to the cause of space tourism. It has been shown in private sector examples from the West.
However, ISRO has completed many feats over the years. Although progress has been slow, India’s focus on local manufacturing and promoting local companies is increasing.
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