Space research: Glory and beyond

In the grand tapestry of the cosmos, India is weaving its own tale -a pursuit of space knowledge fuelled by curiosity, national pride, necessity, and growth opportunities

As you read this column, India’s first space-based solar observatory Aditya-L1 is just hours from reaching the Sun-Earth Lagrange point 1. If successful, this mission will not only add to the global understanding of our nearest star and space weather but also showcase the country’s scientific and technological prowess, as it involves complex manoeuvres and instruments to observe the solar atmosphere from a unique vantage point.

After an indelible 2023 for the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro), the new year, too, kicked off on a strong note. In a bid to unlock the secrets of high-energy processes in stellar and galactic systems, such as blackholes, neutron stars, and active galactic nuclei, Isro put its first X-ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat) into a circular orbit at 650 km on January 1. XPoSat is only the second satellite —after the American Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer — dedicated to studying X-ray polarisation, or in simpler terms cosmic radiation.

In 2024, Isro has lined up at least 12 missions — from laying the groundwork for future manned spaceflights (Gaganyaan-1) and orbiting Mars once again (Mangalyaan-2) to underscoring the growing collaboration in space exploration between two giants via the Nasa-Isro Synthetic Aperture Radar, aka NISAR, and a tentative Venus orbiter mission (Shukrayaan-1).

But why? The commentariat in the West has often criticised India’s spending on space research, considering the competing demands on its resources for development. However, investments in space research by key world powers, including India, extend beyond the pursuit of scientific knowledge. They represent a strategic move that intertwines with national security, economic growth, technological advancement, and, above all, international prestige.

One of the drivers of the space race  is nationalism. Undoubtedly, space missions are high-cost, high-risk endeavours with no immediate promise of hitting a jackpot, and to keep spirits high, motivation via nationalism is a necessity — the trigger and unending fuel for the Cold War-era space competition between the US and the erstwhile USSR.  A space mission tests the boundaries of technological prowess and every successful project is a seal on the global stage. India’s successful moon landing, for instance, was not only a source of national pride, but also soft power, thus enhancing its global standing.

Though space research and infrastructure are necessary for military purposes, communications, research, and businesses, only a handful of countries can claim to have a significant presence in this field and even fewer can be dubbed a space power. Earth’s orbits are crowded but not exceptionally contested: Satellite launches and their operation, from a geopolitical point of view, are largely uneventful.  But there are a few exceptions, all because of military necessities. “The US and China are in quiet competition for military advantage in space, avoiding direct confrontation but planning for a conflict. Russia is eager to restore its military space and space exploration capabilities to keep up with both the US and China. India pays close attention to China’s space activities and attempts to match them, and there is a nascent ‘space race’ between it and China,” writes James Andrew Lewis in Space Exploration in a Changing International Environment. 

Space research also fuels economic growth, new industries, and job opportunities. For example, the number of space startups in India increased from just 1 in 2014 to 189 in 2023 and they received investments worth $124.7 million last year. According to the government, the current size of the Indian space economy is around $8.4 billion, or 2-3 per cent of the global space economy, but it is expected to grow to $44 billion by 2033.

Numerous technological advancements with practical applications, such as miniaturisation of electronic components, a necessity in spacecraft, leading to the development of semiconductors and integrated circuits, are another key benefit of space research.

In the grand tapestry of the cosmos, India is weaving its own tale. Its quest for space knowledge is driven by curiosity, national pride, and necessity. And with Aditya-L1 gazing at the Sun soon, India will be shining bright.