ISRO's Path to Space: Challenges and Opportunities in India's Satellite Launch Market

ISRO Chairman S Somanath addressed the India Space Congress 2024, highlighting the need to create more internal demand in India's satellite launch market. Despite interest from major companies, concerns about breakeven timelines persist. Somanath emphasized the importance of reducing costs and enhancing industrial capacity for launchers.

ISRO Chairman S Somanath, speaking at the India Space Congress 2024, underscored the pressing need for increased internal demand within India's satellite launch market. He pointed out the readiness of big companies to invest but noted their concerns regarding breakeven timelines and order acquisition. Somanath stressed the significance of generating internal demand through advancements in satellite applications.

Somanath also discussed the global decline in space access costs, attributing it largely to SpaceX, while noting that India's rocket costs haven't followed the same trend. Highlighting the necessity for cost reduction, he said it would aid small satellite launches and attract new space sector enterprises. He also mentioned the ambitious aims set forth by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for human space activity beyond the Gaganyaan mission, including the goal of landing on the moon by 2040.

Despite the current limitations of India's biggest rocket, GSLV MKIII, in enabling round trips to the moon, Somanath emphasized the need for developing rockets with higher payload capacities to bring back samples and eventually humans. He stressed the importance of commercial sustainability and enhancing industrial capacity to produce launchers. Notably, he announced that GSAT-20 has received clearance and is scheduled for mid-August launch on Falcon 9.

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