Rapid advancements in science and technology, the corner
stone of 21st century has ushered the mankind into an era of
stupendous achievements. Propitiously, the new accomplishments are nearly
closing the gap of what was considered an impossible event a century ago into a
reality. The incredible path of progress
traversed by several thousands of scientists by virtue of their ingenuity and
tremendous engineering feats have redefined the milieu of impossibility. India’s
ace space research institute, ISRO attained the pinnacles of excellence and
garnered global and in particular space-faring nations’ attention through its
successful Mangalyaan mission. Registering a resplendent success in its maiden
attempt at a miniscule cost ISRO’s clout as an emerging scientific leader began
to gain momentum.
Notwithstanding, the initial setbacks, Indian space industry
has bounced back with incredible vigor and has been making a mark for itself in
the global space market with its economies of scale. India has emerged a viable
competitor in the satellite launching segment of the space industry. Indian
work horse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) has so far launched satellites
of less than 2000kg for 20 different countries into a variety of orbits (sun
synchronous, geosynchronous transfer and low earth orbits of small
inclination). In all, ISRO has launched 51 foreign satellites from 1994 to
2015. Indeed ISRO launched four US satellites in September 15th.
Realizing the tremendous potential of India Space Program, US ambassador to
India on Feb 25th exalted growing US-India cooperation in Space at
the ORF Kalpana Chawla Annual Space Policy Dialogue. Reminiscing the journey of
US-India space cooperation, beginning 1963, when India launched US-made
sounding rocket or research rocket from the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching
Station, he harped on the need for a robust cooperation. The following day, US
Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued an
advisory approving the ban on using ISRO’s launching services by US commercial
satellites. The US private space industry has expressed its concerns indicating
that the low-cost options of ISRO, largely funded by government would “distort
the conditions of competition”.
US commissioned Commercial Space Launch Services Act in 1984
approved by President Ronald Regan to protect its domestic launch industry from
the government-funded foreign launches. Accordingly, they have coerced nations
like Russia, China and Ukraine to sign the agreement in early 90s. In 2005 US
forced India to sign the same and India declined. As a result Commercial Space
Transportation Advisory Committee (COMSTAC) recommended a ban on using Indian
services for launching US commercial satellites for 10 years ending in 2015.
Now they issued a fresh advisory ensuring the continuation of the ban. CSLA set
the domestic US launch services as the World minimum effectively curbing the
entry of foreign launch services that can operate at low cost into the global
space market. Undeterred by the ban, ISRO’s commercial arm Antrix Corporation
negotiated deals for the government of India. India is slated to launch 25
commercial satellites in 2016-17 which includes 12 satellites of US and the
remaining 13 from Germany, Canada, Algeria, Japan, Indonesia and Malaysia. In a
stellar satellite launch accomplishment ISRO’s PSLV-34 aims to put 22 micro,
nano satellites of various countries into orbits in May this year at one go. The
dubious stance, double-speak and inconsistency of the American space policy
towards India is truly debilitating. It reminds of the inglorious sanctions and
embargoes imposed on India at various stages of Indian Space Odyssey that crippled
and hampered its progress.
Indian space program was largely
scuttled by international sanctions after the nuclear tests in 1974 and 1998
which lasted till 2011. The curbs imposed on Indian space agencies and allied
defence organizations were lifted completely only after India signed and
ratified civil nuclear treaty with the US. Aside severe curbs on technology
transfer and imports of the invaluable raw materials from the Western
countries, in 1992 developed countries declared technology apartheid against
India. Russia who had promised to assist India with the cryotechnology the
lifeline of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV), under pressure
from US, reneged on its promise. Subsequently, India’s march towards acquiring
self-reliance for hoisting heavy/communication satellite into orbits was
halted. In January 1991, ISRO signed an agreement with Glavkosmos, Russian
Space Agency, for the sale of cryogenic engines. By May, 1991 US imposed
sanctions in India and Russia for violating the Missile Technology Control
Regime (MTCR). Russia, later delivered 7 engines but withheld the crucial
technology.
Indian Space program paid heavy price
for the numerous obstacles deliberate delays caused by the vested interests.
The sabotage in the form of the dubious spying case framed against the two
exceptionally brilliant scientists- in-charge of the cryogenic program, Nambi
Narayanan and D. Sasi Kumar in ISRO delayed our journey by 19 years. The
allegations of spying framed not only ripping them off their distinguished
scientific careers, but also led to their unceremonious exit from the organization.
Besides being labelled as spies the severe torment and humiliation suffered by
them is inexplicable. Consequently India was forced to shell out thousands of
dollars to use the European Space Agency (ESA)’s Ariane 5 rocket for deploying
communication satellites weighing more than 2000 kg. ESA charges $20,000 for
deploying one kilogram of payload into geostationary orbit 36,000 km above the
equator. Thus the cost hoisting a satellite excluding its transportation and
building is 250 crore rupees while entire cost of GSLV project is 370 crores.
The sabotage theory holds ground as
the book “Russia in Space- A Failed Frontier” by the British space writer Brian
Harvey vouched for the plans of imperiled nations and role of CIA in blocking
India from perfecting the cryotechnology. Nations feared that India’s progress
might be detrimental to their prospects in the business of the space technology
and nuclear energy. Hence these scandals were witch crafted to derail and delay
the Indian technological missions which could otherwise lead the nation into a
sphere of self-reliance.Further, the untimely deaths of the two Indian giant
space scientists –Homi Jehangir Bhabha, father of Indian nuclear program and
Vikram Sarabhai in mysterious circumstances at very crucial stages of
technological advancements speaks volumes of the larger international
conspiracy.
Indian leadership having realized the immense potential of
space technology pursued it as a foreign policy tool with national security
perspective. The idea of SAARC satellite, a communication and meteorological
satellite envisaged by Prime Minister Modi at the 18th SAARC summit
at Nepal, owes its genesis to the new aspect of space diplomacy. Conforming to
the doctrine of neighborhood first policy, India offered to gift SAARC nations
with the satellite that could enhance the communication services of all the 8
nations. Expressing its serious reservations about the safety its space program
data, Pakistan has pulled out of this project. With Pakistan opting out of the
SAARC satellite project, India renamed it as South Asian satellite. The South
Asian Satellite weighing 2000kg, containing 12-Ku band transponders with a
coverage area of all the seven SAARC nations is all set to be launched later
this year. In the first week of April 11 international space agencies have met
in New Delhi and decided to develop a global space observatory for monitoring
climate change. Thus, the preponderance for collectively achieving common goals
is now spurring nations to invest in space cooperation.
India had mooted the idea of “BRICS constellation of
satellites” for disaster risk reduction and has managed to draw the support of
China for the same. It is believed that Chinese National Space Agency (CNSA)
has been rigorously pushing forward the idea of launching a constellation of
satellites basically to “enhance its international voice and influence in the
field of aerospace”. In spite of soaring animosities, India and China are keen
on working together since indigenous space programs of both nations suffered
huge initial setbacks due to the denial of technology and long drawn embargoes
by the US. US having crippled the progression of space programs of these
emerging nations is now enthusiastically looking forward to rope in both
nations for its ambitious ‘boots on Mars by 2030’. With NASA bracing budgetary
constraints, Indian Space Journalist Pallav Bhagla opined that NASA’s new found
interest in collaborating with these nations stems from the hope that these “emerging
giants would dole out resources”. While China has been exceptionally keen on
collaborating with India for the BRICS constellation of satellites, its real
intent is shrouded with apprehensions. Russia has been a valuable partner for
India’s space program. Of late India placed an order for a Lunokhod rover and
Lander from Russia, for the Chandrayaan-2 mission. But the delivery is
subjected to interminable delays and Russian experts later confounded that
China is exerting considerable pressure on Moscow to limit its cooperation.
Spurned by the delays India has started developing the lander indigenously.
Reeling under the financial clamp down of the international sanctions imposed
following Ukranian crisis, Russia began to lean towards China. Hence the
prospect of space cooperation with China must be taken with a pinch of salt.
Interestingly, while high-level
diplomatic Indo-US engagement is hovering over the headlines of international
newspapers, US space agencies under the ruse of government-subsidies is trying
to nip the commercial success of Indian Space Agency. Commercial space industry
in US is gaining lot of ground with successful business leaders pumping in
thousands of dollars into lucrative ventures. Indeed the US space countries
have been using Mojave Desert as the testing ground for all their trails. US
private companies are now developing small –satellites and aspiring to send
their constellations into space are severely constrained by limited launch
facilities. These companies interested in sending small payloads can ill afford
the launching services of a full US launch vehicle. Initially Falcon1,
developed by Space X meant for launching small satellites catered to the needs
of these private companies. In 2009 Space X moved into bigger satellite–segment
with Falcon 9 vehicle leaving a critical gap in the small-satellite launch
market. Small satellite companies are on a hunt for reliable cost-effective
small satellite launch provider and PSLV effectively meets these requirements.
Hence, despite the bans, small satellite companies in US look forward to ISRO’s
launching services. The Global Space economy is growing at a tremendous rate
with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7% from 2005 to 2014. While India
is better positioned to meet the growing requirements of the private
small-satellite companies, it is high time India evolves a robust national
space policy to have a better edge in the global market. It is pertinent that
India also set goals and milestones underlining India’s larger aspirations for
the near future say by 2020 or 2030. To fortify the rapid strides Indian Space
program must promote innovation and entrepreneurship, enact space legislations,
establish think-tanks and buttress industry and academia linkups.
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