ISRO looking at space tourism, says Jitendra Singh

Union Minister of State for Science & Technology Minister Dr Jitendra Singh (File Image)

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is testing human flight capacity at low earth orbit to develop capabilities for space tourism, Union Minister of State for Science & Technology Minister Jitendra Singh has said.

A low earth orbit is relatively closer to Earth’s surface and is normally at an altitude of less than 1,000 km but could be as low as 160 km above Earth– which is low compared to other orbits, the European Space Agency says on its website. Most commercial airplanes do not fly at altitudes higher than approximately 14 km.

The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) was also looking to promote active participation of the private sector in carrying out end-to-end space activities, the minister said in a reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha on July 21, Day 4 of the monsoon session.

IN-SPACe was established as a single-window agency, under the Department of Space, to promote, oversee, and approve the private sector's activities in the space domain, including those by young entrepreneurs and students interested in the study of space science.

According to Singh, the Department of Space (DOS) is now preparing a thorough, integrated space policy that would guide the commercial Indian space industry's operations.

On space diplomacy, the minister said ISRO promoted international relations and cooperation with 61 nations in a variety of space-related fields.