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| Skyroot: The private firms helping India aim high in space | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Naga Bharath Daka co-founded Skyroot Aerospace with a colleague in 2018 | Naga Bharath Daka co-founded Skyroot Aerospace with a colleague in 2018 |
| "We started with a leap of faith." | "We started with a leap of faith." |
| That's what Naga Bharath Daka says when asked about Skyroot Aerospace, the Indian space-tech start-up he co-founded with a colleague in 2018. | That's what Naga Bharath Daka says when asked about Skyroot Aerospace, the Indian space-tech start-up he co-founded with a colleague in 2018. |
| Inspired by the promise offered by the space sector, he and fellow engineer Pawan Chandana left their secure government jobs at the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) - the country's government-run space agency - to set up Skyroot, which builds rocket components to send satellites into space. | Inspired by the promise offered by the space sector, he and fellow engineer Pawan Chandana left their secure government jobs at the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) - the country's government-run space agency - to set up Skyroot, which builds rocket components to send satellites into space. |
| This week, Skyroot is aiming to create history by launching India's first privately developed rocket from ISRO's Sriharikota space centre in eastern India. | This week, Skyroot is aiming to create history by launching India's first privately developed rocket from ISRO's Sriharikota space centre in eastern India. |
| There it is!Catch a glimpse of our Vikram-S at the rocket integration facility at Sriharikota, as it gets ready for the momentous day. Weather seems great for the launch on 18 Nov 11:30 AM.#Prarambh #OpeningSpaceForAll pic.twitter.com/b0nptNlA1N | There it is!Catch a glimpse of our Vikram-S at the rocket integration facility at Sriharikota, as it gets ready for the momentous day. Weather seems great for the launch on 18 Nov 11:30 AM.#Prarambh #OpeningSpaceForAll pic.twitter.com/b0nptNlA1N |
| It's an exciting time to be part of India's space industry, which has often been credited for pulling off ambitious missions on relatively low budgets. | It's an exciting time to be part of India's space industry, which has often been credited for pulling off ambitious missions on relatively low budgets. |
| India's funding for space research is just a fraction of what the US and China spend. | India's funding for space research is just a fraction of what the US and China spend. |
| It claims only around 2% of the global space market share, but experts hope the ongoing reforms can help boost the sector further. | It claims only around 2% of the global space market share, but experts hope the ongoing reforms can help boost the sector further. |
| India opened the space sector for private firms in 2020 and allowed them to build rockets and satellites. They have also been allowed to use ISRO's launching facilities. | India opened the space sector for private firms in 2020 and allowed them to build rockets and satellites. They have also been allowed to use ISRO's launching facilities. |
| "India deserves to have a bigger share of the global space economy. We should be looking at at least 8-10%" says businessman Pawan Goenka, who heads INSPACe, a centre set up by the government to coordinate between private space firms and ISRO. | "India deserves to have a bigger share of the global space economy. We should be looking at at least 8-10%" says businessman Pawan Goenka, who heads INSPACe, a centre set up by the government to coordinate between private space firms and ISRO. |
| India has pulled off ambitious space missions on low budgets | India has pulled off ambitious space missions on low budgets |
| According to government estimates, the Indian space industry was worth around $7bn in 2019 but has the potential of growing to $50bn by 2024. | According to government estimates, the Indian space industry was worth around $7bn in 2019 but has the potential of growing to $50bn by 2024. |
| Skyroot was the first start-up to sign up with ISRO after the government allowed private firms. Since then, almost 100 start-ups have joined it. | Skyroot was the first start-up to sign up with ISRO after the government allowed private firms. Since then, almost 100 start-ups have joined it. |
| In September, Skyroot raised a record $51m (£42.9m) in a series-B funding round - the largest ever in the Indian space-tech sector. | In September, Skyroot raised a record $51m (£42.9m) in a series-B funding round - the largest ever in the Indian space-tech sector. |
| Around 10 other private firms have also either launched or are close to launching their products. A start-up called Pixxel is working on a product which will help provide images that can help in mining and disaster management. Digantara, a Bengaluru-based start-up, is mapping space debris for the world. Other companies such as Dhruva, Agnikul and Bellatrix are also trying to make their mark. | Around 10 other private firms have also either launched or are close to launching their products. A start-up called Pixxel is working on a product which will help provide images that can help in mining and disaster management. Digantara, a Bengaluru-based start-up, is mapping space debris for the world. Other companies such as Dhruva, Agnikul and Bellatrix are also trying to make their mark. |
| The flourishing of space start-ups has also given more opportunities to young Indians to work in the country instead of going abroad to achieve their dreams. | The flourishing of space start-ups has also given more opportunities to young Indians to work in the country instead of going abroad to achieve their dreams. |
| "It has now become more accessible for aerospace engineers to have more scope in India," says Himani Varshney, 25, an engineer who works at Skyroot. | "It has now become more accessible for aerospace engineers to have more scope in India," says Himani Varshney, 25, an engineer who works at Skyroot. |
| Skyroot is aiming to create history by launching India’s first privately developed rocket | Skyroot is aiming to create history by launching India’s first privately developed rocket |
| Experts say that over the years, ISRO has built up a reputation as a cost-effective and reliable partner. Apart from launching its own research-oriented space missions, ISRO has partnered with more than 30 countries to help launch nearly 400 of their satellites. | Experts say that over the years, ISRO has built up a reputation as a cost-effective and reliable partner. Apart from launching its own research-oriented space missions, ISRO has partnered with more than 30 countries to help launch nearly 400 of their satellites. |
| Mr Goenka says India can aim even higher by building rockets and satellites at low costs for other countries. | Mr Goenka says India can aim even higher by building rockets and satellites at low costs for other countries. |
| "Right now, all things built in India are for consumption within India. Building for other countries can be a fairly big business for India," he says. | "Right now, all things built in India are for consumption within India. Building for other countries can be a fairly big business for India," he says. |
| The war in Ukraine has also triggered more opportunities for India. London-based satellite company OneWeb - which is financially backed by Indian tech giant Bharti Airtel - turned to India after it was forced to suspend use of Russian rockets due to sanctions on Moscow. | The war in Ukraine has also triggered more opportunities for India. London-based satellite company OneWeb - which is financially backed by Indian tech giant Bharti Airtel - turned to India after it was forced to suspend use of Russian rockets due to sanctions on Moscow. |
| In October, ISRO launched 36 satellites for OneWeb on an LVM3 rocket, taking the number of satellites it has in space to 462. OneWeb had planned to send a total of 648 satellites into space and with Russia out of the picture, India is now stepping up to launch the rest as well. | In October, ISRO launched 36 satellites for OneWeb on an LVM3 rocket, taking the number of satellites it has in space to 462. OneWeb had planned to send a total of 648 satellites into space and with Russia out of the picture, India is now stepping up to launch the rest as well. |
| "It's a blessing in disguise for India, in the sense that we had to look at what are the best opportunities for us. I think that vacuum [of Russia] has been addressed amply by the capabilities of ISRO and India," said Rahul Vatts, an India-based director of OneWeb. | "It's a blessing in disguise for India, in the sense that we had to look at what are the best opportunities for us. I think that vacuum [of Russia] has been addressed amply by the capabilities of ISRO and India," said Rahul Vatts, an India-based director of OneWeb. |
| India's space budget is only a fraction of that allocated by the US | India's space budget is only a fraction of that allocated by the US |
| "It's a wonderful opportunity for India. Once you say you will launch 30-40 satellites, the world market starts looking towards you in a different way," Mr Vatts adds. | "It's a wonderful opportunity for India. Once you say you will launch 30-40 satellites, the world market starts looking towards you in a different way," Mr Vatts adds. |
| But there are challenges for private companies that aspire to make it big in the sector. | |
| Companies can't expect to make profits overnight, says Lt Gen AK Bhatt, director general of the Indian Space Association, a space policy advocacy unit which works closely with the government. | Companies can't expect to make profits overnight, says Lt Gen AK Bhatt, director general of the Indian Space Association, a space policy advocacy unit which works closely with the government. |
| "It's a long business - from the time you plan to launch a rocket, design a rocket, design a satellite, and then launch it, then find a market and then have the outcomes in terms of returns. So many businessmen would only come in when the money starts coming in," he says. | "It's a long business - from the time you plan to launch a rocket, design a rocket, design a satellite, and then launch it, then find a market and then have the outcomes in terms of returns. So many businessmen would only come in when the money starts coming in," he says. |
| Mr Goenka adds that it is not "an easy sector". | Mr Goenka adds that it is not "an easy sector". |
| "It will require a lot of hard work for several years before we can truly see its fruits". | "It will require a lot of hard work for several years before we can truly see its fruits". |
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