India is setting its sights on an ambitious space milestone, landing an Indian on the moon by 2040. This was shared by ISRO Chairman S. Somanath at the third edition of the Indian Space Conclave, organised by the Indian Space Association (ISpA) in Delhi, on Tuesday.
Somanath said that the goal reflects India's commitment to advancing human space exploration and will serve as a significant source of inspiration for the younger generation. He also added that while such aspirations were once only dreams, they are now achievable thanks to technological progress. "It was possible to dream about it. Now, we have available capacities. We can think of rockets to send a man on the Moon by 2040. The technology is there," he said.
The event provided a platform for discussions on the space economy and fostering private sector participation. Additionally, Somanath's remarks about India's future lunar mission stood out, alongside plans for space tourism and new initiatives following India's recent sun mission.
Somanath also urged major Indian industries to contribute more to space infrastructure manufacturing. While India has made significant strides in the downstream sector, focusing on applications like satellite communications and data, he further pointed out the country's lag in the upstream sector. This segment deals with developing and manufacturing space hardware, including propulsion systems and other components essential for space exploration.
"The challenges in the upstream side, building big platforms, building rockets and launching them, remains very elusive primarily because of the higher investment required, the technology risks, the possibility of failures, recovery," Somanath said.
He added that while there is growth in the startup ecosystem related to space technology, these smaller players need support to scale up and compete with established international companies. This, he stated, is where larger Indian industries could play a crucial role by investing in space infrastructure to build competitive and sustainable space enterprises.
Somanath's call for industry support aligns with global trends, companies like SpaceX have shown how investment in reusable rockets and cost-effective space missions can revolutionise the sector. India now aims to close this gap and strengthen its position in space exploration.
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