The Indian Space Programme

by Gurbir Singh

  [1000]. A recording of the 31st Professor Brahm Prakash Memorial Lecture delivered by Dr A. S. Kiran Kumar on 21 August 2015 at IISc, Bangalore. In the recording at 22:30, Dr Kumar refers to 40% of the materials used in the Indian cryogenic engine being made in India and the new scheme to engage private industry in risky and innovative R&D. See https://youtu.be/4gfAnfOsjHI

  [1001]. Prashant G. N. 121 Pvt firms help build Mars orbiter, PSLV. 14 October 2014. Deccan Herald. Retrieved from http://www.deccanherald.com/content/435822/121-pvt-firms-help-build.html.

  [1002]. See http://www.commercialspaceflight.org/membership/member-organizations/

  [1003]. http://www.deccanherald.com/content/435822/121-pvt-firms-help-build.html.

  [1004]. Details of all spin-offs are listed here: http://isro.gov.in/isro-technology-transfer/space-spin-offs-isro

  [1005]. A short but detailed paper on the capabilities of microprocessor Vikram 1601. Priyanka, R. and S Gnana. 2016. Stage Control Unit for Indigenous Processor-Based System. IJSTE 2 (09). Retrieved from http://www.ijste.org/articles/IJSTEV2I9007.pdf.

  [1006]. A list of technologies transferred are available here: http://isro.gov.in/isro-technology-transfer/technologies-transferred

  [1007]. Fok, Evelyn and Malavika Murali. 30 January 2015. Indian Start-ups Are Beginning to Make Their Mark in Space. The Economic Times. Retrieved from http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2015-01-30/news/58625375_1_space-industry-space-sector-isro

  [1008]. In the past, ISRO has expressed its desire to outsource. However, in the absence of companies with mature commercial experience, ISRO has not achieved the level of outsourcing it has sought. The report is still unlikely to have achieved its desired level of engagement with the private sector. In early 2016, ISRO chairman considers the 2020 target date as "tentative" and the scope of the outsourcing as "largely." Laxman, Srinivas. 15 February 2016. Plan to Largely Privatise PSLV Operations by 2020: ISRO Chief. Times of India. Retrieved from http://timesofindia.inia/Plan-to-largely-privatize-PSLV-operations-by-2020-Isro-chief/articleshow/50990145.cms. Also, see http://spacenews.com/india-to-hand-over-pslv-operations-to-private-sector/

  [1009]. Faust, Jeff. The Space Review, Is it time to update the Outer Space Treaty. 5 June 2017. Retrieved from http://www.thespacereview.com/article/3256/1

  [1010]. This short article captures the salient points in the proposed FEAC bill. Sun dahl, Mark J., "The Outer Space Treaty and The Free Enterprise Act: Is International Space Law a Help or a Hindrance? (Op-Ed)" (2017). Law Faculty Articles and Essays. 903.

  http://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/fac_articles/903. http://spacenews.com/the-outer-space-treaty-and-the-free-enterprise-act-is-international-space-law-a-help-or-a-hindrance/.

  [1011]. Prasad, Narayan and Prateep Basu. 6 May 2015. Renewing India’s Space Vision: A Necessity or Luxury? NewSpace India. Retrieved from http://newspaceindia.com/renewing-indias-space-vision/

  [1012]. “Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) up to 100% is allowed in satellites-establishment and operation, subject to the sectoral guidelines of the Department of Space/ISRO, under the government route.” See http://www.makeinindia.com/sector/space/

  [1013]. Prokopenkova, Irina. 2015. The Prospects of India and Russia Space Technology Cooperation. Russian Institute for Strategic Studies. Retrieved from http://en.riss.ru/analysis/19001/

  [1014]. Rajagopalan, Rajeswari Pillai and Narayan Prasad. 2017. Space India 2.0: Commerce, Policy, Security and Governance Perspectives. Observer Research Foundation. P95. Retrieved from http://ww.orfne.org/research/space-india-2-0-commerce-policy-security-and-governance-perspectives/

  [1015]. Joseph, Mathai and Andrew Robinson. 2 April 2014. Policy: Free Indian Science. Nature 508 (7494): 36–38. doi:10.1038/508036a.

  [1016]. How the programme worked and an overview of some examples of actual projects undertaken are listed in this presentation: http://www.nrsc.gov.in/uim_2014_proceedings/papers_ppts/UIM2014_US3_GaneshRaj.pdf . Retrieved on 10 February 2015.

  [1017]. Rao, U. R. 2013. India’s Rise as a Space Power. Delhi: Cambridge University Press India Pvt Ltd. P191.

  [1018]. Ibid

  [1019]. Patel, V. P. and A. V. Patel. April 2012. Evaluation of Completed RESPOND Projects (April 2010 to December 2011). Retrieved on 10 February 2015 from http://www.sac.gov.in/respond/Evaluation%20of%20Completed%20Respond%20Projects.pdf.

  [1020]. RESPOND at SAC Sponsored Research Programme at Academic InstitutesAnnual Report 2014-15. http://www.sac.gov.in/respond/

  [1021]. Coan, Ron. May 2013. Silicon Valley and Route 128: The Camelots of Economic Development. Journal of Applied Research in Economic Development 10. Retrieved from http://journal.c2er.org/2013/05/silicon-valley-and-route-128-the-camelots-of-economic-development/.

  [1022]. Indian material scientists offered this explanation when asked why unique alloys were not developed in India. Kalam, A. P. J. Abdul and Y. S. Rajan. 2014. India 2020: A Vision for the New Millennium. Millennium Edition. Penguin. P87

  [1023]. Anderson, Robert S. 2010. Nucleus and Nation: Scientists, International Networks, and Power in India. University of Chicago Press, P424.

  [1024]. Ibid

  [1025]. Rajaraman, V. 2012. History of Computing in India 1955–2010. IEEE Computer Society. Retrieved from http://www.cbi.umn.edu/hostedpublications/pdf/Rajaraman_HistComputingIndia.pdf. P11

  [1026]. 2017 Nano/Microsatellite Market Forecast published by Spacework Enterprises. Retrieved from http://spaceworksforecast.com/docs/SpaceWorks_Nano_Microsatellite_Marke

  [1027]. Federal Aviation Administration. February 2015. The Annual Compendium of Commercial Space Transportation: 2014. Retrieved from http://www.globalsecurity.org/space/library/report/2015/2015_compendium.pdf

  [1028]. Perhaps, this was a repeat of the US strategy in 1975. Then, the US provided India free access to their ATS-6 for a year for the SITE experiment. Subsequently, India purchased 4 INSAT-1(A-D) from the US. Perhaps, with this free offer of a transponder, India hopes to commercially engage SAARC nations in future space services.

  [1029]. Sinha, Amitabh. 26 March 2015. SAARC Satellite India’s Counter to Other Players Entering Region: ISRO Chief A S Kiran Kumar. The Indian Express. Retrieved from http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/saarc-satellite-indias-counter-to-other-players-entering-region-isro-chief-a-s-kiran-kumar/.

  [1030]. In his piece on exploring space as an instrument of India's foreign policy, Video Sagar Reddy goes further and suggests that India should, at least in part, help build the ground stations and provide training, too. Rajagopalan, Rajeswari Pillai and Narayan Prasad. 2017. Space India 2.0: Commerce, Policy, Security and Governance Perspectives. Observer Research Foundation. P173. Retrieved from http://www.orfonline.org/research/space-india-2-0-commerce-policy-security-and-governance-perspectives/

  [1031]. Ajey Lele explains the deeper long-lasting reasons why this venture was probably doomed from the outset. “Almost for the last three decades, the Pakistani military leadership/Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI) has directly or indirectly ensured that civilian governments would not be able to transform peace talks into a sustainable process.” Lele, Ajey. 19 April 2016. Satellite for SAARC: Pakistan’s Missed Opportunity. Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. Retrieved from http://www.idsa.in/idsacomments/satellite-for-SAARC_alele_190416

  [1032]. Section IV International Cooperation has six interesting articles reflecting how France, the US, Russia, Israel, Japan and Australia have collaborated in the past or can do so in the future with India. Rajagopalan, Rajeswari Pillai and Narayan Prasad (Eds). 2017. Space India 2.0: Commerce, Policy, Security and Governance Perspectives. Observer Research Foundation. P215-283. Retrieved from http://www.orfonline.org/research/space-india-2-0-commerce-policy-security-and-governance-perspectives/

  [1033]. Deshmukh, Chintamani. 2010. Homi Jahangir Bhabha. New Delhi: National Book Trust. P5

  [1034]. The International Lunar Decade’s roadmap starts with a series conferences in 2017, endorsement by G20, UNISPACE
+50 and the UN GA in 2018 and the official launch in 2019. Retrieved from https://ildwg.wordpress.com

  [1035]. The IIS is the product of a 1998 long-term Inter-Governmental Agreement between four countries (Canada, the US, Russian Federation and Japan) and the 11 members of ESA (Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK). The agreement shares between its members the management and costs of operation of a permanently inhabited civil space station for peaceful purposes under international law. The complete framework is described here: http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Human_Spaceflight/International_Space_Station/International_Space_Station_legal_framework.

  [1036]. Pallava, Bagla. 10 April 2016. India, China Set Eyes on Joint Satellite Constellation for BRICS. The Economic Times. Retrieved from http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/science/india-china-set-eyes-on-joint-satellite-constellation-for-brics/articleshow/51763274.cms. Also, the director of ICAO's Air Navigation Bureau cited COSPAS-SARSAT as “an interesting and potentially useful precedent for international cooperation on funding, ownership, management, and operation of space systems.” See https://www.cospassarsat.int/images/stories/media/Documents/CospasSarsat_quietsuccessstory.pdf

  [1037]. This is a quote from the inaugural speech of President Truman. The full speech is available here: http://www.thisnation.com/library/inaugural/truman.html

  [1038]. This was at a time when the relations between the US and Russia were particularly low as a consequence of the geopolitical relations, especially in connection with Ukraine, Crimea, Syria, Iraq, Iran and Turkey. See http://rbth.com/news/2016/04/12/putin-notes-importance-of-space-cooperation-with-other-nations_584201

  [1039]. Telephone interview with Al Worden. 3 September 2014.

  [1040]. Interview with the Rakesh Sharma. 13 August 2013. See https://youtu.be/up_ANSNTB-U

  [1041]. Tal, Alon. 2006. Speaking of Earth: Environmental Speeches That Moved the World. Rutgers University Press. P126.

  [1042]. An interview recorded with Bill Anders on the 40th anniversary of the mission. See https://www.theguardian.com/science/2008/dec/20/space-exploration-usa-earth-moon

  [1043]. ISRO. 2016. From Fishing Hamlet to Red Planet: India’s Space Journey. Noida, Uttar Pradesh: HarperCollins India. P62.

  [1044]. Kazuto Suzuki concluded that “even when Japanese technology became more mature, the industry still considered that space activities were only a ‘jacket for entering a major industrialised countries’ club’. It has never considered seriously taking the risks of ‘industrialisation’ and ‘commercialisation’ of space, and instead continued space R&D for their sheer prestige”. Rajagopalan, Rajeswari Pillai and Narayan Prasad. 2017. Space India 2.0: Commerce, Policy, Security and Governance Perspectives. Observer Research Foundation. P276. Retrieved from http://www.orfonline.org/research/space-india-2-0-commerce-policy-security-and-governance-perspectives/

  [1045].He was working at the Department or Atomic Energy at the time that INCOSPAR was established and was one of initial engineers to join the space programme that Sarabhai interviewed personally. Aravamudan, R. and Gita Aravamudan. ISRO: A Personal History. Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India: HarperCollins India, 2017.

  [1046]. International Science and Technology. October 1963. Homi Bhabha Interview on India’s Development Strategy. P93. This reference is also available in TIFR. 2009. Homi Jahangir Bhabha on Indian Science and the Atomic Energy Programme: A Selection. TIFR. P143.

  [1047]. Rai, Saritha. 6 January 2016. India Just Crossed 1 Billion Mobile Subscribers Milestone and the Excitement’s Just Beginning. Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/saritharai/2016/01/06/india-just-crossed-1-billion-mobile-subscribers-milestone-and-the-excitements-just-beginning/#261e4be87db0

  [1048]. For example, SpaceX is planning for high-speed, global Internet operation in the early 2020s. It will be provided by 4,425 satellites operating in 83 orbital planes at an altitude ranging from 1,110 km to 1,325 km. See https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/nov/17/elon-musk-satellites-internet-spacex. Plans of ViaSat and aerospace firm Boeing include just three satellites providing high speed, high capacity, global coverage Internet access by 2020. See http://www.zdnet.com/article/the-internet-from-space-how-satellites-could-soon-play-a-bigger-role-in-broadband/. Bengaluru-based Astrome Technologies plans to launch 150 satellites weighing 120 kg to provide 50–400 Mbps Internet to a limited number of developing nations by 2020. See http://tech.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/technology/bengaluru-based-space-startup-astrome-aims-to-provide-superfast-internet-via-satellites/55023828

  [1049]. Specifically, he listed (a) Manned missions to the Moon and Mars and the establishment of space industries. (b) Cost effective space transport systems using hypersonic reusable vehicles (SSTO). (c) Harnessing space energy for generating power and drinking water (d)Developing solar seal for interplanetary missions. (e)Integrating disaster management system utilising space technology. (f) Operational Indian navigation satellites Kalam, A.P.J. and Rajan, Y.S, The Scientific Indian by APJ Abdul Kalam and YS Rajan (Penguin Books India)2010.

  [1050]. Rao, U.R. 2001. Space Technology for Sustainable Development. New Delhi: McGraw-Hill Education.

  [1051]. Ibid

  [1052]. Kasturirangan, K. 20 June 2006. India’s Space Enterprise—A Case Study in Strategic Thinking and Planning. Dr K. Narayanan Oration. Australian National University. P197. Retrieved from https://crawford.anu.edu.au/acde/asarc/pdf/narayanan/2006_powerpoint.pdf.