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NDTV
16-07-2025
- Business
- NDTV
"India's Moonshot Moment": Shubhanshu Shukla's Mission Sparks Start-Up Surge In Space Sector
India's space ambitions received a major boost with the successful return of Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla from his historic mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). As the first Indian astronaut in decades to venture into space, Mr Shukla's journey has sparked widespread excitement across the country, particularly among the nation's burgeoning space start-up ecosystem. One of the most enthusiastic reactions came from Yashas Karanam, co-founder of Bellatrix Aerospace, a Bengaluru-based space start-up incubated at the Indian Institute of Science. Speaking to NDTV, Mr Karanam described the mission as "the Rakesh Sharma moment of our generation," referring to India's first astronaut who flew to space in 1984. He emphasised that the alignment of ISRO and the Indian government toward human spaceflight is opening up new opportunities for private companies to collaborate on missions like Artemis and other international ventures. "This is much more exciting than many recent Indian missions," said Mr Karanam. "It opens up hope that the government and ISRO are aligned towards human spaceflight. That means private companies like ours are looking forward to newer projects, especially those inclined towards crewed missions and international collaborations." The Gaganyaan mission, which aims to send Indian astronauts into space aboard an indigenous spacecraft, has already received Rs 33,000 crore in funding commitment by the government. Mr Karanam believes this strong financial backing is a signal to investors that India is serious about space exploration. "The more you see space in the headlines, the more it strikes investor interest," he said. "It's all interlinked - government investment, mission success, and investor confidence." Bellatrix Aerospace is already contributing to this vision with its development of a green propulsion system using Hydroxylammonium Nitrate (HAN). This alternative fuel could significantly extend the duration of crewed missions in space. "With HAN as fuel, astronauts could stay in space for years instead of just six months," Mr Karanam explained. "This kind of innovation is exactly what investors are looking for, especially now that India has proven its commitment to human spaceflight." The ripple effect of Mr Shukla's mission is being felt across the start-up landscape. Mr Karanam noted that dozens of Indian space start-ups are working on technologies such as capsule return systems, reusable heat shields, and life-support innovations. "All of them are looking at this as a great opportunity," he said. "It's an inflection point - a moonshot moment for India." As Mr Karanam put it, "despite Rakesh Sharma going to space decades ago, there were questions about whether India would reinvest in this sector. This mission is the answer. We are finally here -with momentum, policy support, and private industry opening up in a big way." With the new space policy in place and start-ups like Bellatrix Aerospace leading the charge, India is poised to become a global leader in space technology. "Indian space companies are going to dominate the space tech ecosystem globally," Mr Karanam declared. "Excited? Very much-200 percent." The return of Shubhanshu Shukla marks not just the end of a successful mission, but the beginning of a new era for India's space industry, one driven by innovation, collaboration, and a bold vision for the future.
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Business Standard
25-06-2025
- Science
- Business Standard
India returns to space after 41 yrs, Shubhanshu Shukla lifts off on Axiom-4
India on Wednesday took another giant leap in space exploration as Gaganyaan astronaut-in-training Shubhanshu Shukla soared into orbit aboard the Axiom-4 mission. The launch took place at Nasa's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at around 12.01 pm IST. This is the first time since Rakesh Sharma's historic 1984 flight aboard the Soviet Soyuz that the Indian government has backed a human spaceflight mission. With this launch, Shukla will become the first Indian to reach the International Space Station (ISS) and the second to enter space under a government-sponsored programme. His arrival at the ISS is expected on Thursday, following a journey of approximately 28 hours. Shubhanshu Shukla pilots Dragon Shukla's journey aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon C213 capsule, launched via a Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket, marks a crucial step for India's Gaganyaan programme. As one of four astronauts shortlisted for Gaganyaan — slated for late 2026 or early 2027 — his role as mission pilot provides India with operational experience critical for the indigenous human spaceflight initiative. The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) has reportedly allocated ₹550 crore for the mission. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had revealed the Gaganyaan astronaut shortlist in February 2023, naming Shukla along with Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair, Ajit Krishnan, and Angad Prathap. 'This mission marks a big step for India, not just in human spaceflight, but also for our growing private space industry. We believe missions like this will inspire the next generation of innovators,' said Yashas Karanam, co-founder and chief operating officer of Bellatrix Aerospace. Global crew, experiments from 31 countries The 14-day Axiom-4 mission includes astronauts from the US, Poland, and Hungary. Together, the crew will conduct approximately 60 research experiments representing 31 countries. Contributions come from the European Space Agency (ESA), Nasa, and Hungary's HUNOR programme. Polish research will focus on neurofeedback, gut microbiome shifts, and wearable health devices. Hungarian experiments will explore cognitive response, motor function, and the impact of space conditions on fruit flies. India's private space sector poised for expansion The mission arrives amid a transformative period for India's space economy. According to a FICCI-EY report released in March, the sector — currently valued at $8.4 billion — is projected to grow fivefold to $44 billion by 2033. India's share in the global space market could rise from 2 per cent to 8 per cent, though this would require cumulative investments of $22 billion over the next decade. A new generation of startups is propelling this ambition. Firms like Dhruva Space, Skyroot Aerospace, Agnikul Cosmos, Manastu, and Bellatrix Aerospace are innovating across propulsion, launch vehicles, and satellite design. Meanwhile, established players like MapmyIndia are leveraging their mapping expertise to develop geospatial and navigation solutions for the space sector. Shukla's journey is more than a personal milestone — it's a signal of India's expanding footprint in space and a precursor to more frequent, more ambitious human missions in the years ahead.
Time of India
19-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Indian space-tech startups set offices, mfg facilities in US
Chennai: To scale up their business and gain access to the lucrative space-technology market, an increasing number of domestic space-tech startups are setting up subsidiaries and office facilities in the US. This helps them to gain access to the market as companies prefer domestic vendors, while some companies go a step further in US expansion by setting up local manufacturing facilities. Yashas Karanam, co-founder and chief operation officer of Bellatrix Aerospace said, 'Having a US presence supports our market expansion goals. Accessing the US government sector often necessitates having a local office or subsidiary for foreign companies. Additionally, many US entities prefer working with US-based partners. These factors collectively make a US presence crucial for growth and market access,' he said. Startups like Bellatrix, a satellite propulsion maker and Digantara, which focuses on space surveillance and intelligence, have already recently announced US operations, including subsidiaries and manufacturing facilities while players like GalaxEye plans to set up offices. Better market opportunity as the US represents over 50% of the global space market and better funding opportunities are some of the major drivers for startups to establish a US presence. Lt Gen AK Bhatt (retd), director general of Indian Space Association (ISpA) said setting up local entities will help navigate regulatory requirements, adding that the window of opportunity in the next three years is very critical for Indian companies tapping the global markets. 'To be relevant global players and have an early mover advantage, startups should have their products tested in space sooner. More companies need to validate their technology and some need to prove with orbital launches,' he said. While growing, the current domestic market, primarily driven by defence application and increasing interest from private players, is limited. Bhatt acknowledged the effort made to boost domestic demand, and said a lot more needs to be done. The US space technology market is estimated at $231 billion and market research reports estimate it to reach $348 billion by 2030. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Japan Times
21-03-2025
- Business
- Japan Times
Japan's space debris firm Astroscale to tie up with Indian companies
Japan's Astroscale, a company specializing in removing orbital junk, has agreed with Bengaluru-based space companies Digantara and Bellatrix Aerospace to collaborate on technology and services, it said on Friday. The tie-ups will "hopefully" result in an orbital services bid for Indian clients "in one to two years," which would mark Astroscale's first operations in Asia-Pacific outside its home, President Eddie Kato said. "India has been on our top list of possible markets" with established space capabilities, where Astroscale's on-orbit servicing technology would meet demand, Kato said. Astroscale is also interested in South Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia and Australia, he added. "India's space policy used to be rather protectionist, but we've seen very rapid moves to bolster ties with the United States and liberalize the market for commercial actors — even fostering them," Kato said. The agreement did not contain any monetary terms. India has opened the country's space sector to private players beyond the state-owned Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and created a 10 billion-rupee ($116 million) fund to support startups. At home, Astroscale is working with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to demonstrate a commercial debris removal mission in 2027. It has also won orders from the U.S. Space Force and the space agencies of Britain and France, which include experimental services to extend a satellite's lifespan. As the number of orbiting satellites increases, potential collisions could create more than $500 million in risk over the next five years, according to an industry estimate. Digantara provides space situational awareness services to monitor orbital objects and has contracts with multiple U.S. defense agencies. Bellatrix Aerospace manufactures satellite propulsion systems. With the partners, Astroscale would first provide on-orbit services for Indian government clients, Kato said. The partnership would "help unlock new market opportunities across both established and emerging space economies," Digantara's Vice President Shreyas Mirji said in a statement. It "marks a significant step for us as we venture into the Japanese market," said Bellatrix chief executive Rohan M Ganapathy. The move was the latest budding tie-up between Japanese and Indian space companies, such as between moon explorer Ispace and rocket maker Skyroot, as well as SKY Perfect JSAT-affiliated Orbital Lasers and robotics firm InspeCity. The Indian and Japanese governments will hold their third round of "space dialogue" policy talks in Tokyo in coming days, officials say.
