Type: Prelims Only

Russia will pull out of the International Space Station (ISS) after 2024 and focus on building its own orbiting outpost.

Why in news?

• Russia will end a symbolic two-decade orbital partnership between Moscow and the west.

International Space Station (ISS)

• The ISS was launched in 1998 as part of joint efforts by the U.S., Russia, Japan, Canada and Europe.
• The idea of a space station originated in the 1984 State of the Union address by former U.S. President Ronald Reagan.
• The space station was assembled over many years, and it operates in low-earth orbit.
• Since its inception, it has served as a laboratory suspended in space and has aided multiple scientific and technological developments.
• The ISS was originally built to operate for 15 years.

Why was ISS launched?

• A space station permits quantum leaps in research in science, communications, and in metals and lifesaving medicines which could be manufactured only in space.
• ISS has consistently maintained human presence for the past 21 years, providing astronauts with sophisticated technologies for scientific research.

What is Russia’s role in maintaining the ISS?

• The ISS is built with the cooperation of scientists from five international space agencies — NASA of the U.S., Roscosmos of Russia, JAXA of Japan, Canadian Space Agency and the European Space Agency.
• Each agency has a role to play and a share in the upkeep of the ISS.
• Both in terms of expense and effort, it is not a feat that a single country can support.
• Russia’s part in the collaboration is the module responsible for making course corrections to the orbit of the ISS.
• They also ferry astronauts to the ISS from the Earth and back.
• Until SpaceX’s dragon spacecraft came into the picture the Russian spacecraft was the only way of reaching the ISS and returning.

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Principal Scientific Adviser stated earlier this month that the government would soon come up with a new space policy that could initiate the rise of India’s own “SpaceX-like Ventures”.

Prospects of the proposed Space Policy

• The final version of the policy would soon be referred to the Empowered Technology Group for further examination.
• The proposed move would increase private sector participation in the industry.
• The policy document recognizes that India has not tapped into its complete potential in space sector.

Why is development in the space sector important?

Ans. Address wide range of problems

(1) Climate Change

• Satellites provide more accurate information on weather forecasts and assess (and record) long-term trends in the climate and habitability of a region.
• By monitoring the long-term impact of climate change at regional, territorial, and national scales, governments would be able to devise more pragmatic and combative plans of action for farmers and dependent industries.
• Additionally, they can also serve as real-time monitoring and early-warning solutions against natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, wildfires, mining etc.
• Real-time tracking can also serve multiple purposes in defence.

(2)  Connectivity

• In this light, it must be noted that satellite communications, which are used to facilitate telecommunication services, are among the major categories for investment in the space technology sector.
• Satellite communication can reach more remote areas where conventional networks would require a heavy complimenting infrastructure.
• Additionally, as to reliability, the World Economic Forum had stated that satellite communication can help connect 49% of the world’s unconnected population.
• Other prominent categories include spacecraft and equipment manufacturing.
• What essentially needs to be remembered is that the strategic space avenue is an integration of the aerospace, IT hardware and telecom sectors.

Where does India stand in the global space market?

• As per SpaceTech Analytics, India is the sixth-largest player in the industry internationally having 3.6% of the world’s space-tech companies (as of 2021).
• US holds the leader’s spot housing 56.4% of all companies in the space-tech ecosystem.
• Other major players include UK (6.5%), Canada (5.3%), China (4.7%) and Germany (4.1%).
• The Indian Space Industry was valued at $7 billion in 2019 and aspires to grow to $50 billion by 2024.

Why does India matter in the global space-tech market?

• The country’s standout feature is its cost-effectiveness.
• India holds the distinction of being the first country to have reached the Mars’ orbit in its first attempt and at $75 million — way cheaper than Western standards.

Future prospects of India’s private ‘Space’

Ans. India may lead in space junk management

• Almost 60-odd start-ups had registered with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) this year.
• A majority of them were dealing in projects related to space debris management.
• As space becomes more congested with satellites, the technology would thus help in managing ‘space junk’ (debris of old spacecraft and satellites).

Where does India lack?

Ans. Undisputedly, it is the finances

• The US and Canada were the highest receivers of space-related investment in 2021.
• The US’s space budget was $41 billion in 2021, $23.3 billion of which was focused on NASA.
• India’s total budgetary allocation for FY2022-23 towards the Department of Space was ₹13,700 crore ($172 million).
• Further, as per Tracxn data, funding into the sector’s start-ups (in India) nearly tripled to $67.2 million on a year-over-year basis in 2021.

How is the private sector’s involvement regulated in India?

• In June 2020, the Union government announced reforms in the space sector enabling more private players to provide end-to-end services.
• The central idea was to bring forth a predictable policy and regulatory environment for them and additionally provide access to ISRO facilities and assets to improve their capacities.

(1) Establishment of IN-SPACe

• An announcement for the establishment of the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) was made.
• It was mandated the task of promoting, authorising and licensing private players to carry out space activities.
• As an oversight and regulatory body, it is responsible for devising mechanisms to offer sharing of technology, expertise, and facilities free of cost to promote non-government private entities (NGPEs).
• IN-SPACe’s Monitoring and Promotion Directorate oversees NGPE’s activities as per prescribed regulations and reports back in case any corrective actions or resolutions are required.
• ISRO shares its expertise in matters pertaining to quality and reliability protocols, documentation, and testing procedure through IN-SPACe’s ‘interface mechanism’.

(2) Establishment of NSIL

• Additionally, constituted in March 2019, New Space India Ltd (NSIL), is mandated to transfer the matured technologies developed by the ISRO to Indian industries.
• All of them are under the purview of the Ministry of Defence.
• Private sector’s involvement in the long term, as with other commercial sectors, is believed to help spur investment and expertise in the realm which is capital-intensive and demands high technology.

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