Space startups to get support to build rockets, says Isro head Somanath

On a steady growth trajectory, the country’s space start-ups will get hand-holding support from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) while allowing free-thinking and entrepreneurship. This is critical for youngsters to be part of the space ecosystem, riding on what the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) has achieved.

This was the message from Isro Chairman and Secretary, Department of Space, S Somanath at the Development of Space Start-up Ecosystem in India (DeSSEI) conference here on Friday.

India is a leading space-faring nation today, which has built its own launch vehicles, satellites, and several applications, he said.

“We have built a lot of indigenous content in all of them. Now we have to find markets for what we do here and also provide opportunities for youngsters to come in and be part of the space ecosystem. We have been seeing the growth of space start-ups in India, and they are trying to look at problems and solutions in a different manner,” said Somanath.

The space start-ups, he said, will offer unique solutions to address the country’s problems. “It will not come just by building fantastic rockets but by creating solutions that the world can look forward to. For instance, there could be solutions that can help make the internet available to everybody, how IoT and 5G can merge with space technology and how day-to-day life of an individual can be connected to the information highway,” he pointed out.

Sounding a note of caution, IN-SPACe Chairman Pawan Kumar Goenka reminded that Space was not an easy business. “No one should think they can come into this sector and make large strides just like that. A lot of blood, sweat and tears will be required to succeed in space. Everyone coming in must have the humility to consult experts, use them as mentors, treat them as hand-holders to learn what they don’t know to succeed in this sector,” he said.

Earlier, Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Rajeev Chandrasekhar inaugurated the conference and said space start-ups could find huge opportunities in launch vehicles and other technologies in the space ecosystem. These, he said, require innovation and entrepreneurship in the years to come.