New Delhi, July 24 (UNI) Since the announcement of space sector reforms in 2020, India has significantly expanded its capabilities and engagement in space technology, launching a series of satellites, Union Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences Jitendra Singh told the Rajya Sabha today.
The satellites launched by India included GSAT-30, EOS-01, CMS-01, Aditya-L1, Chandrayaan-3, XPoSat, and most recently, EOS-09, the minister said in a written reply in the Upper House of parliament.
EOS-09 was launched on May 18 to provide reliable remote sensing data.
Among the notable scientific missions, Aditya-L1, launched in September 2023, is dedicated to solar studies, while XPoSat (January 2024) marks India’s entry into space-based X-ray polarimetry.
Chandrayaan-3, launched in July 2023, successfully demonstrated safe lunar landing and rover operations, said the minister.
At the same time, over 300 private space start-ups have been registered. The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) has facilitated significant private participation, including two successful sub-orbital flights in November 2022 and May 2024, said the minister.
A total of 658 proposals have been submitted by more than 380 Non-Governmental Entities (NGEs) across multiple domains such as developmental and disaster mitigation, agriculture & food security, insurance & yield estimation.
A semi-physical yield model developed by ISRO for rice and wheat is being implemented under PMFBY for quicker claim settlements in nine states, said the Minister.
He also said that satellite imagery supports hazard assessment and damage analysis for floods, cyclones, landslides, earthquakes, and forest fires while in 2024, flood mapping was conducted for 16 states. ISRO also supports early warning systems for Godavari and Tapi rivers.
As part of the revised Gaganyaan Programme, approved on October 9, 2024, India is set to pursue a second human spaceflight (H2) following the successful execution of its first crewed mission (H1). The second mission will continue collaborations with existing national and international partners, laying the groundwork for the proposed Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS), said the minister.
