What Is IN-SPACe? Know All About ISRO's Extended Arm Towards Private Sector

The private industry will also be offered opportunities to undertake R&D activities and be co-traveller in advanced inter-planetary missions.

'IN-SPACe' stands for Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Center. (File Photo/ AFP)

New Delhi: In a major reform for the space industry, the Central government has decided to open up Indian space sector by setting up Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) which will provide a level playing field for private companies to use Indian space infrastructure. The decision was taken during a Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday which took some key decision such as making Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to focus on research and development (R&D) of new technologies, exploration missions and human spaceflight programme, and constructing an international airport at Kushinagar to boost tourism in the Buddhist circuit besides other.

In his address today, Dr. Sivan announced establishment of IN-SPACe under Department of Space as a separate vertical for permitting and regulating the activities of private industry in space sector.

For further details please visit: https://t.co/RyizPC1cf9 — ISRO (@isro) June 25, 2020

During the meeting, a concern was raised that the existing space sector set up was not allowing level playing field for the private sector even though the capability was present. After rounds of discussion, the Modi government decided to establish a new agency that could provide a level playing field for private companies to use Indian space infrastructure. What is IN-SPACe? 'IN-SPACe' stands for Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Center. It is an autonomous nodal agency which is being established under Department of Space as a separate vertical for permitting and regulating the activities of private industry in space sector. IN-SPACe will act as a national nodal agency to hand-hold and promote private endeavours in space sector and for this ISRO will share its technical expertise as well as facilities. This space agency will have its own independent Directorates for Technical, Legal, Safety & Security, Monitoring as well as Activities Promotion for assessing the private industry requirements and further coordinating the activities. What Is The Motive Behind Setting Up IN-SPACe? According to a statement by Department of Space, opening up of the space sector is part of the larger vision of transforming India to become self-reliant through a set of socio-economic reforms. The reforms in the space sector are aimed at tapping the potential of entire country for unlocking its potential by enabling private enterprises and start-ups to undertake end-to-end space activities. In addition, the reforms are also aimed at mitigating the large and upfront investments required to set up facilities for undertaking space activities through sharing of such existing facilities under ISRO. An open and inclusive space sector will result in accelerated growth, job creation as well as innovations and will enable Indian Space Industry to be a significant player in global space economy. Moreover, the private industry will also be offered opportunities to undertake R&D activities and be co-traveller in advanced inter-planetary missions. Does IN-SPACe curtails ISRO's role? As per the statement given by DOS, the move will allow ISRO to allocate more time and resources for R&D endeavours. ISRO will continue to carry out its present activities with greater emphasis on development of advanced technology, missions and capacity building besides supporting private endeavours in space sector. Explaining further on the ISRO's role after the reforms in space industry structure, Minister of State for Atomic Energy & Space, Jitendra Singh told media that all these agencies will supplement each other. He also said that this will stop the "brain drain' from India. Singh said, "while ISRO will continue to do what it has been doing, the new body will "fill the gap and fulfill demand. Moving further, he added that the newly created Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACE) provides a level playing field for private companies to use Indian space infrastructure. It will also hand-hold, promote and guide the private industries in space activities.