What is In-Space ?? ISRO plan and review

What is IN-SPACe?

The announcement of the formation of Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre, IN-SPACe has created waves both within ISRO and outside. In ISRO the reactions have ranged from interference by ‘vested interests’ to rumors was that ISRO was going to be privatized. Some would not mind private industry getting into satellite manufacturing with ISRO’s ‘hand-holding’ (read control) but launchers and launch facilities are a strict no no. There are damages and liabilities which have not been factored in which is a fact. Others opined that there is a crying need for industry to use remote sensing data with AI and data analytics to solve the problems besetting India from floods to drought and pollution and water scarcity while satellites and launchers could be left to ISRO.

Industry, while welcoming the move, are not sure exactly what be the structure of this new formation. The biggest confusion is about IN-SPACe itself.

IN-SPACe in the Department of Space

A government press release states that IN-SPACe “will provide a level playing field for private companies to use Indian space infrastructure. It will also hand-hold, promote and guide the private industries in space activities through encouraging policies and a friendly regulatory environment”. Chairman ISRO Dr Sivan added that IN-SPACe will act as a national nodal agency to hand hold and promote private endeavors in space sector and for this ISRO will share its technical expertise as well as facilities.

Work Allocation

While ISRO will work on advanced systems, IN-SPACe will not only work on routine aspects and earth observations but will also help industry to participate in advanced systems.

The activities related to SATCOM services, spacecraft and subsystems services, mission support services and ground based infrastructure for space-based needs are already transferred from ACL to NSIL. In addition, NSIL is handling the commercial production of PSLV and SSLV in consortium mode.

One issue that seems to have slipped under the radar is outreach to the general community and in particular to the students in school looking at career options and students undergoing professional courses. While academia finds a mention in the IN-SPACe board, there is precious little in terms of details.

Organizational and Administrative Issues

The organizational structure of DoS shows that there are three main groups, ISRO, Autonomous Institutions and PSUs. According to Dr Sivan IN-SPACe would be another ‘vertical’ under Department of Space, DoS. It will have a a Chairman, a Board comprising of its Directors, Academia and Industry and will be autonomous. It will have separate directorates addressing Technical, Legal, Safety & Security, Monitoring as well as Activities Promotion for assessing the private industry requirements and further coordinating the activities. It is not clear where IN-SPACe fits in.

The question arises which Chairperson becomes the Secretary DoS or will Secretary DoS, Chairperson ISRO and IN-SPACe be the same or will there be a new Secretary DoS and a new Chairman IN-SPACe?

According to Dr Sivan, NSIL will be under DoS but a little lower in hierarchy to ISRO and IN-SPACe. Its operations will change from a supply model to a demand model. As per its website NSIL is already in the demand mode for SATCOM services, spacecraft and subsystems services, mission support services and ground based infrastructure for space based needs. Consequently, will ISRO facilities like SDSC, ISTRAC and NRSC be transferred to NSIL as part of the demand model? Only PSLV and SSLV are at present in supply mode. How will this change to demand mode? Will the new launch facility for SSLV at Thoothkudi be a part of NSIL?

Chairman ISRO has indicated that industry has to approach IN-SPACe for specific access to ISRO facilities. This will be discussed with ISRO and any decision will be binding on all parties. In this context what will be the coordination between IN-SPACe, ISRO and NSIL? Will NSIL continue to use ISRO as its source of labor like ACL used to do or will there be a commercial arrangement between the three entities?

What will be the staffing pattern of these entities? Will fresh talent be brought in or will there be a redistribution of manpower? What will be the career incentives? ISRO operates on a merit based career advancement which Dr. Sarabhai had negotiated with the government and which was continued as a flexible complementarity scheme after ISRO came fully under the government control in 1972. This is appropriate for a R&D laboratory but can this be applied to an autonomous body like IN-SPACe and a Central PSU like NSIL?

Since the Space Commission will now oversee activities of IN-SPACe and NSIL, should it also include members from the Ministry of Commerce and from Industry Associations?

Legal Implications

A word in the name of the new autonomous organization has not raised any comments. The word is ‘Authorization’. What is meant by this? Till now all authorization was in the Government and by the government. So, launch authorization, transponder use authorization, imaging authorization were part of ISRO’s internal machinery. Now that there is a new autonomous body to help industry to use ISRO facilities how will this authorization happen?

It makes sense therefore to relook at the Space Policy and revive the efforts towards a Space Act by way of a Bill. Chairman ISRO was correct in raising these issues and further he mentioned that these issues are being addressed and that a new Space Policy and a Space Bill are in the works. What is worrying is that there seems to have been no consultations in this matter. Department of Space is indeed the nodal body to define these but with the recognition of the role of Industry in Space activities both upstream and downstream it is necessary that views of all stakeholders be taken at the drafting stage itself. 

Conclusion

While the announcement of IN-SPACe has been welcomed in general, there are questions as to how this will work. While some are issues internal to DoS and ISRO there are wider implications for academia in terms of research and the Industry and in particular the start-ups.