India’s Expanding Space Horizon: Thumba and Beyond 

Context: India’s Space Journey which began modesty six decades ago has now transitioned into an era of global collaboration and private-sector participation. It is a testimony to the country’s expanding space ecosystem. 

The Historical Context: 

• November 1963: Indian scientists launched a Nike-Apache sounding rocket from Thumba, Kerala. These rockets helped the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) master solid propellant technology,  a foundation for India's launch vehicle capabilities.

Evolution to Global Participation:

Fast forward to 2024, India not only launches satellites for domestic needs but also collaborates internationally. 

• GSAT-N2 satellite launch:
  • Recently, India launched GSAT-N2 satellite aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Florida, the US.
  • The satellite, weighing 4700 kg, exceeded the payload capacity of India’s most powerful rocket, the Launch Vehicle Mark 3 (LVM-3), necessitating its launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9.
  • It is a Ka-band high-throughput satellite to enhance broadband services in underserved areas, including the northeast, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep. It will also support services like in-flight internet connectivity and the Smart Cities Mission.
  • The satellite is built by ISRO and will be placed in the geostationary orbit.  
• Upcoming PSLV-C59 Mission: PSLV-C59 mission scheduled for December 4, 2024. It will carry the European Proba-3 spacecraft to study the Sun, using extended length configuration of ISRO’s trusted Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-XL).
• Indian Astronauts in Training: India’s astronaut-designate Shubhanshu Shukla, who is set to fly to the International Space Station in 2025, is undergoing training at the European Space Agency’s European Astronaut Centre.
• India Joins SKAO: In 2024, India became a full member of the Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO). SKAO is an international effort to build the world’s most advanced radio telescope in Australia and South Africa. India will contribute financially as well as in advanced electronics and engineering for telescope components in exchange for scientific data collected by the telescope.

Recent Scientific Advancements:

• India’s first Space Analog Mission: 
  • Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has announced the launch of its first analog space mission at Leh in Ladakh, simulating lunar and Martian conditions. 
  • This setup will help study the challenges astronauts will face in a base station beyond Earth and gather critical data that will support India’s Gaganyaan program and future missions.
• Biological Experiments on Bharatiya Antariksh Station: The Departments of Space and of Biotechnology have signed agreements to conduct biological experiments aboard India’s forthcoming Bharatiya Antariksh Station, marking a leap in interdisciplinary research.
• Breakthroughs from Aditya-L1: A team led by researchers at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bengaluru, used data from Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC) instrument onboard Aditya-L1 to accurately predict the time of a coronal mass ejection, demonstrating India's capability in space weather research.

Private Sector Participation:

• Pixxel’s Fireflies (India-American firm): A set of six hyperspectral satellites are expected to be launched early next year. Each satellite weighs around 50 kg, has a native 5 m spatial resolution, and scans 40-km swaths for data in more than 150 spectral bands. These satellites constitute the first batch in a proposed constellation of 24 satellites. These satellites will provide data that can help detect crop diseases, water-stressed areas, real-time deforestation, and ocean pollution early.
• GalaxEye Space’s Tech Demo: A payload on board the PSLV’s Orbital Experimental Module (POEM) platform. The Tech Demo will test subsystems of a synthetic aperture radar (SAR).
• PierSight Space’s Varuna Mission: A payload on PSLV POEM called ‘Varuna’, which will demonstrate a deployable reflectarray antenna and test SAR and aeronautical information service avionics in orbit.
• HEX20’s Nila Satellite: A 5-kg cubesat satellite to be launched on SpaceX’s Transporter 13 mission in February 2025. The cubesat will host different payloads and provide data-processing services. A ground station will be built in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, to control and receive data from the satellite.
• SatSure: SatSure is working with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEiTY) to map rural property across over two lakh villages. ‘Svamvita’ programme will capture images of 3-5 cm resolution and SatSure will use its machine-learning tools developed for satellite data to extract and classify the relevant features (building footprints, roof type, roads, and water bodies).