Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) are jointly building a US$ 1 billion satellite with latest large reflectors, high antenna and others, for clear data transmission. “It is a unique mission where both agencies will be involved in mission design, instruments, payloads and the launch vehicle with the US agency pitching in most funds”, said former ISRO chairman A. S. Kiran Kumar on Wednesday.
The eagerly awaited ‘Human Space Mission Programme’ got delayed due to the pandemic and this project will give a big filip to the country’s development as a large number of science & technology platforms are working on it, he said, during a virtual presentation on ‘Space Technology Development and Use: An Indian Approach” organised by the Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI).
Indian space programme has always sought collaborative efforts and is running about 50 satellites tracking weather, communication, strategic issues, etc., and this number has to be doubled with the help of the private sector for enhancing capacities. “Space laws and policies have to be modified as globally it is the private entities leading the innovation,” he said.
