Editorial: Another milestone for ISRO

The successful launch of SSLV sets the stage for the commercialisation of satellite launch capabilities

The successful launch of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV), which can carry satellites ranging from as low as 10 kg to 500 kg mass, is yet another feather in the decorated cap of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), heralding a major milestone in the country’s space research. The 120-tonne rocket, about five times smaller than India’s largest satellite launch vehicle, lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, marking a new beginning for the space research community. The stage is now set for the commercialisation of satellite launch capabilities. This can be done through two routes: one is through the public sector New Space India Limited (NSIL), which will fund and realise the rockets required for commercial purposes, and the other is through technology transfer to the private sector.

According to industry estimates, India’s satellite launch market is estimated to grow to $3.5 billion by 2033, compared with $720 million in 2022. The utility of small satellites is increasingly expanding in a variety of sectors, including weather forecasting, communications, defence, urban planning and disaster management. They are also crucial enablers in the growing Internet of Things. There is near unanimity that the market for space tech is set to increase in the next five years. The SSLV, a three-stage launch vehicle, is capable of launching mini, micro or nanosatellites into a 500-km planar orbit. In the past, the space capsules had to wait for years to hitch a ride on vehicles designed for large satellites.

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However, in the past decade, the miniaturisation of satellites has enabled the entry of universities, corporate houses and even individual innovators in a field once dominated by large enterprises and state institutions such as ISRO and NASA. The SSLV can be a game changer for these micro and nano space stations. The launch vehicle can be assembled in less than a week by a much smaller team. With ISRO planning to transfer technology to private players, the country’s space sector is poised for a significant expansion. American and EU companies are currently the biggest players, while China, Australia and Russia are beginning to expand their global footprint. The SSLV rocket is designed for low turnaround time, costs less, is flexible in accommodating multiple satellites, has feasibility for launch on demand and requires minimal launch infrastructure. India has been focusing its efforts on increasing its share of the global commercial space market ever since the country decided to open up the space sector to private players in 2020. Despite being one of the world’s major space-faring nations, it has only 2% of the commercial market at present. The government plans to increase this share to 10% by 2030 through commercial launches by ISRO and launches offered by private companies like Skyroot and Agnikul, which are in the process of developing their launch vehicles.