Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh announced on Tuesday the Centre’s ambitious target of quintupling the share of the Indian space sector by 2030, increasing it from the current 2% to an ambitious 10%. The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology made this announcement during the inauguration of the “IN-SPACe Technical Centre” at the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) headquarters in Bopal.
Addressing the gathering, after the inauguration, Dr. Singh reflected on the remarkable shift in global perceptions of India’s capabilities in the space sector. He emphasized that the goal is not only to boost the Indian space economy to 10% by 2030 but also to achieve an even more ambitious 15% share in the global space economy by 2047, as outlined in their vision document.
While India’s current space economy stands at a modest $8 billion, Dr. Singh expressed confidence in significant growth, projecting a manifold increase by 2040. Interestingly, he highlighted an international report, specifically the recent Arthur D Little (ADL) Report, suggesting that India’s space sector has the potential to reach $100 billion by 2040. This estimation surpasses the government’s projection and indicates that the Indian space sector could secure a 20% share by 2030, demonstrating India’s prowess in the global space arena.
Dr. Jitendra Singh remarked, “They now know that we can beat them in their own game,” underscoring the growing recognition of India’s capabilities and competitiveness in the global space industry.
The IN-SPACe Technical Centre boasts a range of advanced facilities, including the Climate Simulation Test Facility (CSTF), Thermal and Vacuum Environment Simulation Facility (TVAC), Vibration Test Facility (VTF), Space Systems Assembly Integration Testing & Checkout Laboratory, RF and Opto-Electronics Laboratory, and Clean Rooms for Assembly, Integration, and Testing activities.
These facilities enable startups to test their hardware under stringent space-like conditions. For instance, the testing addresses challenges such as high noise and vibration during a rocket’s flight, as well as extreme temperature variations and radiation exposure once the satellite is in space. Thoroughly testing expensive space hardware under these conditions is crucial before integration into a rocket or satellite.
Dr. Pawan Goenka, Chairman of IN-SPACe, emphasized the collaborative opportunities offered by the centre. The IN-SPACe Technical Centre aims to serve as a comprehensive solution for Non-Government Entities (NGEs), transforming initial designs into fully-fledged space products/solutions. By providing access to essential development and testing infrastructure in one location, IN-SPACe aims to democratize the availability of tech-infrastructure for all space NGEs, create conducive ecosystem for private industry growth in the space sector, from early-stage startups to large established companies.
