ISRO, private cos to collaborate for space-related work: K Sivan

Reiterating Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s May 16 statement, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)’s chief K Sivan on Thursday (June 25) said, the private sector will now be allowed to use ISRO facilities.

Indicating, space activities like building of rockets, satellites, and providing launch services might now be a shared venture between the private sector and ISRO.

As a measure to provide a level playing field for private companies in satellites, launches, and space-based services, Sitharaman had earlier said there will be a liberal geospatial data policy for providing remote-sensing data to tech-entrepreneurs.

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Sivan, on the same lines, said the private sector can also be part of the inter-planetary missions of ISRO. The Cabinet on Wednesday approved the participation of the private sector in the entire range of space activities, including planetary exploration missions.

Sivan, however, added that ISRO’s activities are not going to reduce and it will continue to carry our space-based activities including advanced research and development, inter-planetary and human space flight missions.

ISRO, the coveted Indian space organisation has brought a lot of laurels to the country.

Besides ISRO, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) – one of the biggest space agencies in the world – went private long time back opening up its Internation Space Station to commercial players including private astronauts.

(With inputs from agencies.)