The Union Cabinet recently approved the creation of the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) to provide a level playing field for private companies to use Indian space infrastructure.
Objectives:
Boost to private industries:
Creation of the IN-SPACe is part of reforms aimed at giving a boost to private sector participation in the entire range of space activities.
It will also hand-hold, promote and guide the private industries in space activities through encouraging policies and a friendly regulatory environment.
Optimum utilisation of space assets:
New Space India Limited (NSIL) would endeavour to reorient space activities from a ‘supply-driven’ model to a ‘demand-driven’ one, thereby ensuring optimum utilisation of the nation’s space assets
ISRO to focus on core activities:
These reforms would allow the ISRO to focus more on research and development activities(R&D), new technologies, exploration missions and human spaceflight programme.
Some of the planetary exploration missions will also be opened up to the private sector through an ‘announcement of opportunity’ mechanism.
Other Agencies working in Space domain:
New Space India Limited (NSIL)
It functions under the administrative control of Department of Space (DOS).
It aims to commercially exploit the research and development work of ISRO Centres and constituent units of DOS.
The NSIL would enable Indian Industries to scale up high-technology manufacturing and production base for meeting the growing needs of the Indian space programme.
It would further spur the growth of Indian Industries in the space sector.
ANTRIX
Antrix Corporation Limited (ACL), Bengaluru is a wholly-owned Government of India Company under the administrative control of the Department of Space.
It is as a marketing arm of ISRO for promotion and commercial exploitation of space products, technical consultancy services and transfer of technologies developed by ISRO.
Antrix is engaged in providing Space products and services to international customers worldwide.