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Space-based Technology and Infrastructure

This post is also available in: English

India is a leading space-faring country, offering numerous opportunities for companies and research institutions. The convergence of new and cheaper satellite technology, talent, capital and open markets brings significant momentum for international collaboration and innovation with one of the world’s rising space powers.

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Space Tech

Space tech covers a range of technologies which can be used for solving societal challenges, including climate forecasting, disaster management, geological and oceanographic studies and communication.

The main technologies in space tech involved are cheaper and smaller satellites (nanosatellites), precise navigation systems and artificial intelligence for satellite image analysis. More liberal space policies along with commercial launching systems and services additionally open up for new possibilities developing space-based applications with India.

Why is this interesting?

Recent advancement in nanosatellites and artificial intelligence – especially in computer vision – has made it more interesting and affordable to use space technology. By employing earth observation and remote sensing, space-based technology is increasingly used to forecast and mitigate damages of climate change including agriculture monitoring, weather forecasting and urban planning. Additionally, space exploration helps researchers enhance their understanding of atmosphere, geology and the potential for future exploration and plays a vital role in education and research.

India’s national Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has proven its ability to manage complex space missions on low budget, and its Mars Orbiter Mission in 2013 was a technological breakthrough that cost around 10% of a similar mission by NASA and ESA.

India has a strong emerging tech ecosystem and with its 2023 Space Policy, the country aims for increasing its share of the global space economy from 2% to 10% by 2030. Today, the Indian space ecosystem includes more than 400 companies and governmental institutions centered around Bangalore including ISRO.

How far are we?

Policy: With the newly launched National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), India has initiated a single-window agency between ISRO and Non-Government Entities. Countries already involved in the Indian space program include France, the Netherlands, Italy, UK, Australia and Sweden.

Entrepreneurship: India is home to more than 100 space start-ups, working with rocket launches, earth observation and in-space mobility. An example is Pixxel, which has launched hyperspectral earth imaging satellites onboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Additionally, Airbus has established an accelerator program for startups in Bangalore.

Investment: The government has allocated USD 1.51 billion for space activities in its 2023-24 budget, and Indian investors poured USD 119 million in Indian space start-ups in 2022. In June 2023, Google entered the Indian Space Tech market by leading a USD 36 million Series B funding in Pixxel.

Corporate: Private companies can take advantage of ISRO’s established supply chain of manufacturing and testing satellites and spacecraft. Large IT and manufacturing firms like Tata group, Mahindra group and Hindustan Aeronautics have dedicated space arms.

Academia: India has a number of strong R&D institutes e.g. Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) and Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS). Denmark’s IT University is collaborating with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi in remote satellite imaging for agriculture.

TechPlomacy perspectives

Space systems are crucial for the functioning of our societies, our economy and our security. At the same time, space is becoming an increasingly contested and competitive domain fuelled by a significant reduction in the costs of space-capable technologies and new opportunities in terms of economic development as well as for security and defence. As significant investments and increasing profitability of space technology continues, the pace of innovation will continue to rise – and so will strategic competition between countries. The fundamental international policy challenge is that space technology is already moving faster than international governance. Tests of anti-satellite weapons, thousands of satellites in orbit, earth-based infrastructures dependent on space technology, and an increasing launch rate will increase the scope of threats and risks related to space as well as the opportunities. A key task for policy-makers in the coming decades will be to mitigate these challenges, avoid a hostile environment in space and exploit its opportunities while taking into account the new significant role of private actors and companies in space.

Let’s connect

Please reach out to Anandita Prakash at anapra@um.dk and Søren Tranberg Hansen at sortha@um.dk. We, at ICDK Bangalore, offer our services to both corporates, SMEs and academic partners looking to dive further into the area of emerging technologies.

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