PSU NewSpace India working for application of space tech for ease of living: Minister

NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), a PSU set up by ISRO, is working for application of space technology towards improving ease of living, Union Minister of State for Space Jitendra Singh said in Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

The space programmes, which were only limited to the South, are being extended across the country, he said during Question Hour in the Upper House while replying to a supplementary.

"It was in 2019 The New Space India Ltd, a PSU has come into being. The participation of these agencies along with the industry is actually guided by strict regulations. It is not exactly transferring into the private sector ...may be in the manufacturing of certain instruments, nut and bolts they come to our cooperation and help," Singh said.

He said that there has been a two-day extensive brainstorming exercise recently in which scientists from this Department of Space interacted separately with each of the ministries and each of the departments in the Centre in order to workout wherein the space technology could come in to provide ease of living.

"Extra space applications of space technology is being extensively used in our housing projects including the smart city projects, in laying down railway tracks, even manning of railway crossings, MNREGA has been a very successful experiment... the soil health card is another example and in North East we have started obtaining utilisation certificates through the medium of satellite which is in real time and more authentic," he said.

He said gradually space technology will be introduced in various sectoral areas with more applications for ease of living.

"That objective is sacrosanct to us," he said.

The ISRO has setup NewSpace India Limited to commercially exploit research and development work of the space agency, co-produce PSLV and launch satellites through SSLVs.

The functions of NSIL will involve small satellite technology transfer to industry, manufacture of Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) -- a product which is being developed by the ISRO -- in collaboration with the private sector and production of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) through the Indian industry.