Parliament Question: Development of Space Technology

Key Highlights:

• Government introduced a liberalized Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy for the space sector.
• A ₹1,000 crore Venture Capital (VC) Fund and a ₹500 crore Technology Adoption Fund (TAF) were established to support space start-ups and indigenous technology.
• Non-Government Entities (NGEs) are provided discounted access to ISRO facilities and infrastructure, along with technical expertise and mentorship.
• Initiatives like PSLV Orbital Experimental Module (POEM) and "Satellite Bus as a Service (SBaaS)" aim to validate technologies and develop indigenous satellite platforms.

Detailed Insights:

• The government's interventions focus on creating baseline infrastructure, facilitating technology transfer, and promoting investments in the nascent private space sector.
• Skill development initiatives are launched to address the evolving workforce requirements of the space sector.
• A Technical Centre provides affordable testing, validation, and simulation facilities for space systems.
• IN-SPACe promotes these schemes and policies through various outreach platforms, engaging stakeholders like academia, start-ups, and MSMEs.
• State governments are encouraged to establish manufacturing clusters and common testing facilities to boost space manufacturing.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI): Investment made by a firm or individual in one country into business interests located in another country.
• IN-SPACe: An autonomous nodal agency under the Department of Space, facilitating private sector participation in space activities.
• PSLV Orbital Experimental Module (POEM): A platform utilizing the spent PSLV fourth stage to perform in-orbit scientific experiments.
• Satellite Bus as a Service (SBaaS): An initiative to provide standardized satellite platforms and services to accelerate satellite development.