India's Aerospace Start-ups Eye Rocket Launches And Planetary Missions

India's permission to private companies to operate within the premises of Indian Space Research Organistaion (Isro) is expected to create huge opportunities for the country’s fledgling aerospace start-ups. These could range from building and launching rockets and satellites to providing space services commercially and even being part of planetary exploration missions, say industry insiders.

The Cabinet on Wednesday approved the participation of the private sector in the entire range of space activities. Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), the newly-announced body under the Department of Space, will be the nodal entity to drive the building of satellites, rockets, or launch services through Indian industry.

Participation by start-ups in the space sector has largely been minimal so far. Their participation will be key towards building India's very own aerospace companies such as Maxar, Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Rocket Labs, say experts.

Hyderabad-based full-stack space systems design and development company Dhruva Space anticipates the renewed efforts and regulatory reforms will further boost the ‘New Space’ industry in India. “We have reached out to Isro on several occasions for the utilisation of their facilities. They have always been supportive in providing valuable inputs, suggestions and facilitated inter-departmental coordination for our satellite development projects, among other things,” said Sanjay Nekkanti, founder at Dhruva Space.

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Bengaluru-based Pixxel, India’s first private earth imaging company, has also reached out to Isro to access its testing facilities. Kshitij Khandelwal, co-founder and chief technology officer at Pixxel says he hopes the move to allow private players will not only benefit bigger players like L&T and Godrej, but a variety of companies including start-ups. “It's really interesting watching how we can work with them in space and we're definitely excited about it.” Pixxel is working on building a constellation of earth-imaging small satellites to provide real-time and affordable satellite imagery. It will provide global coverage every 24 hours, once the satellites are fully deployed.

Experts said there is also huge scope for the commercialisation of the ground operations like mission support, satellite broadband gateways and 5G backhauling. One of the firms Astrome could potentially compete globally with tech entrepreneur Elon Musk’s SpaceX, to solve the problem of connectivity by beaming high bandwidth internet from space. It is developing a technology that could make the cost of internet access through satellites, affordable.

“There could be opportunities for Indian space sector to collaborate with start-ups by licencing their technologies and working together in lower orbits possibly,” said Venkatesh Kumaran, president, Astrome. The firm said it is moving up the value chain from deploying its wireless backhaul products in ‘Terrestrial’ followed by early trials of its space products in 2020.

Last month Elon Musk’s SpaceX became the first private firm to launch human beings into orbit using Its Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft. The launch was important as it signified the first time of American astronauts being launched into orbit, since 2011. Space entrepreneurs want to achieve a similar feat in India as well.

Experts said the changing focus of Isro’s commercial arm, New Space India Ltd (NSIL) from supply-driven approach to a demand-driven approach indicates that majority of the commercial activities may be outsourced to numerous industries as and when there is increasing demand.

“This will surely help Isro receive more international orders since it will be able to deliver more frequent launches than before,” said Yashas Karanam, director at Bellatrix Aerospace, which is developing orbital launch vehicles (rockets) and electric propulsion systems for satellites. The firm is aiming to reduce satellite mission cost through its patented systems.

“It is a massive opportunity for startups to be able to work with Isro. I believe it would increase the number of companies emerging in the space sector in the country and make it easier for them to do business here,” said Manish Singhal, founding partner, pi Ventures. The early-stage venture fund in March had invested Rs 23.4 crore in Agnikul, a Chennai-based firm that is pioneering 3D printed single-piece rocket engines and building an orbital-class launch vehicle that can take small satellites to space.

“It looks like the government is trusting the startups now and I think it is up to the startups to step up their game,” said Srinath Ravichandran, co-founder and CEO of Agnikul.

Valued at around $7 billion, Indian space industry is just around 2 per cent of the global market that stands at around $360 billion. According to a report by consulting firm PwC and Antrix Corporation, Indian space sector has the potential to become a $50 billion industry growing at a CAGR of 48 per cent, over the next five years,

“Since India is a major space-faring nation, Indian start-ups can leverage the situation for business gains, provided Isro handholds them,” Rakesh Sasibhushan, chairman and managing director at Antrix was quoted in the report.

• Private firms are being allowed to build facilities and work within the Isro
• Startups look at building and launching rockets, satellites and participate in planetary exploration missions
• The Indian space sector can become a $50 billion industry over next 5 years.
• Pixxel is working on building a constellation of earth-imaging small satellites
• Agnikul is building an orbital-class launch vehicle that can take small satellites to space
• Astrome looks at solving connectivity problem by beaming high bandwidth internet from space