How SSLV could bump up India's share of international space economy to 10%

Based on government estimates, India's share in the global space economy of $360 billion is around 2 per cent

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This is not the first time that ISRO is betting big on small launch vehicles. In the 1980s, it had tried its luck with the Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle (ASLV), but it did not work as expected.

Shine Jacob

5 min read Last Updated : Aug 21 2022 | 7:50 PM IST

Though the first demonstration flight of India’s Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) to put into orbit an earth observation satellite (EOS2) and AzaadiSAT (a micro satellite created by 750 rural students from across the country) earlier this month was a failure, the project will likely be a game-changer in determining India’s future in the global satellite market.

At present, there are around 4,550 man-made satellites in Earth’s orbit, including 3,790 in lower orbit, 139 in medium orbit, 56 in highly elliptical orbit and 565 in geostationary orbit. If the current satellite plans of global majors become a reality, another 50,000 satellites are expected to be launched within 10 years. It is this rising interest in space that makes India’s SSLV relevant.

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