India is gearing up for its much-anticipated moon mission, Chandrayaan-3, scheduled for launch on July 14. With this mission, India aims to establish itself as a significant player in space exploration and the rapidly expanding space commerce sector.
The exclusive club of countries that have successfully landed on the moon includes the United States, the former Soviet Union, and China. While a Japanese start-up's recent attempt ended in a crash, India hopes to achieve a successful lunar landing with Chandrayaan-3.
Developed with a budget of approximately $75mn, the mission will take off from India's main spaceport in Andhra Pradesh at 2:35 p.m. local time. The plan involves launching a 43.5-meter LVM3 rocket, which will propel the spacecraft into an elliptical Earth orbit before setting course for the moon. The scheduled landing is expected to take place around August 23.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is leading the mission, which serves as the country's first major space endeavor since Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government announced policies to encourage investment in private space launches and satellite-based businesses.
India has set ambitious goals for its space sector, aiming for its space companies to capture five times the global launch market share within the next decade. In 2020, India's share of the market by revenue was 2%, and officials are determined to significantly increase that number.
Chandrayaan, meaning "moon vehicle" in Sanskrit, comprises a 2-meter-tall lander designed to deploy a rover near the lunar south pole. The rover is expected to conduct experiments for two weeks, demonstrating India's scientific capabilities in lunar exploration.
Beyond the scientific objectives, the mission also carries a secondary purpose of signaling India's readiness to participate in the fast-paced private-sector space race. Ajey Lele, a consultant at New Delhi's Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, highlights that a successful mission would enhance India's global reputation and have positive implications for the country's commercial space industry.
Since India opened its doors to private launches in 2020, the number of space startups in the country has more than doubled. Skyroot Aerospace, India's first privately built rocket, launched late last year and received investment from Singapore's sovereign wealth fund GIC.
During a visit to the United States last month, prime Minister Modi and president Joe Biden expressed their commitment to deepening collaboration in space endeavors. This aligns with Voyager Space's recent announcement of signing a memorandum of understanding with ISRO. The Denver-based company, tasked by NASA to develop the Starlab space station, intends to utilize Indian rockets and explore opportunities for collaboration with Indian space startups.
Carla Filotico, the managing director at consultancy SpaceTec Partners, highlights India's strategic approach to space and its aspiration to become a leading player in outer space. She sees this mission as an opportunity for India to establish itself as a pioneer in the industry.
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