Private firms can offer end-to-end space services: Isro chief K Sivan

Govt approves formation of a new organisation, the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), seeking to open up space infrastructure to the private sector

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Isro chief K Sivan said IN-SPACe will act as a national nodal agency for hand-holding and promoting private sector in space endeavors

T E Narasimhan Chennai

3 min read Last Updated : Jun 26 2020 | 7:51 PM IST

The government’s recent reforms for the space sector will not only enable private companies to build rockets and satellites but also let them use the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (Isro’s) facilities, said K Sivan, secretary of the Department of Space and chairman of Isro.

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved In-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre) as a separate vertical for permitting and regulating the activities of private industry in the space sector, in a bid to increase its share of 2 per cent in the $360-billion global space industry.

“We need to have a mechanism for private players to carry out space activities keeping in mind safety, security, and quality. At present, there is no such mechanism.