Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of Space in India’s federal government told Parliament that Department of Space has been involved in launching satellites of foreign countries for many years. The total number of satellites launched till date is 328 from 33 different countries and the revenue earned till date is about $230 million.
Dr. Singh said that ISRO facilities are extended to Indian industries and academia for testing their space systems. Satellites from Space Kidz India and Syzygy Space Technologies have undergone testing at the U.R. Rao Satellite Center He said, participation of private sector in space activities in India is expected to result in development of cutting edge technologies, new applications & services.
The commercial arm of the government is called New Space India Ltd. and was established in 2019 to act as an aggregator for all space related activities in industry and develop private entrepreneurship in space related technologies. The company responsible for manufacturing the and production of Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) and Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). It will also cater to emerging global commercial SSLV market demand, providing satellite building and satellite-based services, including supply of sub-systems for various domestic and international application needs and will enable space technology spin-offs through Indian industry interface.
