New Delhi: Union Minister for Space Jitendra Singh reviewed plans by IN-SPACe to set up space laboratories in universities and colleges across India. The initiative is aimed at building a strong pipeline of skilled youth for the burgeoning commercial space sector, which has attracted over USD 600 million in private investment over the last five years. The Request for Proposal to set up the space labs under the Antariksh Paryogshala initiative was rolled out in December last year. The state-of-the-art space laboratories will be providing students with hands on training in space technologies, rocketry, satellites and mission operations. Seven institutions will be selected across the country in different zones, with the lab available for use by NGEs or commercial space companies in the region.
IN-SPACe, the single-window clearing agency for all private space operations from India has rolled out a range of initiatives to support the momentum in commercial space. A Rs 1,000 crore venture capital fund is being operationalised to support growth-stage startups, with a Rs 500 crore Technology Adoption Fund enabling the transition from early-stage innovation to commercially viable products. Then the seed fund scheme is providing grants of up to Rs one crore to startups at the ideation and prototyping stage, along with mentoring and ecosystem support.
Need to enhance Space Research ecosystem in the country
The present ISRO Chairman, V Narayanan as well as the former ISRO Chairman S Somanath have both highlighted the need to bolster the domestic space research ecosystem. IN-SPACe is taking efforts to build a skilled workforce, with 17 specialised training programmes completed, with nearly 900 participants certified in areas such as satellite manufacturing, launch vehicle systems and space cybersecurity. The space labs instituted under the Antariksh Prayogshala are expected to further strengthen the talent pipeline, by offering practical, hands-on learning opportunities. IN-SPACe has also picked three New Space startups to develop a shared satellite bus platform, and has expanded access to its design, integration and testing facility at the IN-SPACe Technical Centre in Ahmedabad.