Article Posted on : - Nov 20, 2014

BENGALURU (PTI): Focussing on the need for synergy among players in the space sector, ISRO Chairman K Radhakrishnan on Wednesday spoke about crystallising an entity that will help India in enhancing its contribution to the space sector.

"We have been seeing over the years one phenomenon that world over the relevance of space programme and the benefits that the space can give to the humanity are being underscored, the need for synergy in space, cooperation in space as compared to the competition that existed few decades ago is getting more and more relevant," he said.

Speaking at the International Conference on Space Business 'World Space-Biz 2014', he said the role of industry as a major partner in space was getting "more and more emphasised and institutionalised."

He pointed out the value addition done by industrial firms across sectors towards the success of India's Mars mission at different levels.

Radhakrishnan said, "The idea over the last couple of years has been to have an entity in this country, comprising the public sector, private sector and ISRO holding together and creating a model that will be good for the country where the operational launch vehicle could be brought out, operational satellite system can be brought out and also how do we enhance our contribution to the international space industry."

He said, "Progress is happening in this area and may be by the time we have a similar engagement after couple of years we would see the whole idea getting crystallising into a workable model and possibly after that you will hear the announcement of a PSLV coming out of that entity."

"Arianespace is a wonderful model for it, where several countries come together and work together and realise...Ariane family of rocket, more than 220 launchers there are in Ariane family. We also had several of our satellites launched using that vehicle..."

Arianespace was founded in 1980 as the world's first commercial satellite launch company. Its shareholders include the French space agency CNES, Astrium and all European space companies, representing 10 European countries.

Responding to reporters' questions on whether Arianespace like institution would be set up in India in the years to come, Radhakrishnan said, "We want to have public and private sectors which are currently working with us, all come together along with ISRO and have an institution where they will finally bring out launch vehicle on one side..."

"On the other side the operational communication satellite, which can be quote unquote be produced, that kind of thing also we need to have so that the ISRO team could concentrate more on the research and development...this is what we are working towards."

To a question on time line and format for this proposed entity, he said, "In the next two years we should be able to have a clear picture how we are going to run this and in about five years from now we should see the products coming out of it. We are working towards that."

Whether it will be India specific or will include other than that is all to be worked out, he said.

Noting that it has been 50 years of working together with France in the area of space, Radhakrishnan said, "We have several such good examples...; now with NASA we are going to have the NASA ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar where we are going to develop one instrument each, this is going to happen in 2019-20."

"Mars Orbiter Mission we had the success and now we are going to see what more we can do...working with NASA we have a working group, and they are going to tell us in a few months what we would like to do with the data from the two satellites (MOM and MAVEN) that are around Mars and how we should proceed in the future direction."

Speaking about the success of Mars Orbiter Mission and the interest it has created among the general public, especially youngsters, Radhakrishnan said, "When somebody asks is it relevant for India to get into such a programme, I think it has done wonders."

"Leave the technology, leave the science that it is going to produce, this is something which has ignited the minds; ...this has been a great movement that has taken place," he added.