New Delhi: The fourth stage of the PSLV rocket, which will remain in orbit for some time after launching two satellites on Monday, will give an opportunity to start-ups and institutes to carry out experiments in outer space, with India’s space regulator emerging as a common link in turning these projects to reality.
A record 24 experiments — 14 by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) laboratories and 10 by non-government entities (NGEs) — will be carried onboard the PSLV Orbital Experiment Module (POEM), including a demonstration of seed germination in outer space, a robotic arm to catch the tethered debris there and the testing of green propulsion systems.
A common link among the payloads of the start-ups and private universities is the technical centre at the Ahmedabad-based headquarters of the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) — India’s regulator and promoter for the space sector.
Based in Ahmedabad, IN-SPACe acts as a central hub, offering technical resources and mentoring to aid in experiment preparation and execution, advancing India’s leadership in the space sector.
