“Space” is the Limit for India

Indian space technology has been the mainstay of Indian innovation. It speaks volumes about the dedication of the Indian space scientists. The odyssey of space technology gained momentum with the establishment of Indian Space and Research Organisation (ISRO).And there is no doubt that credit for bringing India into the map of space technology goes to Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, who is considered the Father of the Indian space programme. He was an institution builder who was instrumental in establishing many institutions like Physical Research Laboratory(PRL),Indian Institute of Management(IIM) Ahmedabad, Community Science Centre Ahmedabad. Fast Breeder Test Reactor(FBTR), Kalpakkam, Variation Energy Cyclotron Project, Calcutta and many more. It must be put on record that Dr.Homi Jehangir Baba who is regarded as the Father of India’s nuclear science programme supported Dr.Vikram Sarabhai in setting up the first rocket launching station in Thiruvananthapuram on the Arabian sea cost. Today we are witnessing that these founding fathers of Indian space research and Indian nuclear program are bearing rich fruits enabling the nation to march ahead as the emerging world power. India has emerged as the fourth nation to achieve space docking. It underlines very clearly that the nation is working to raise its share in the ever growing $400 billion space market. India has achieved this feat with the latching up of the Target and Chaser satellites. India is depending on the indigenous technology required for the satellite servicing, space station operations besides the interplanetary missions meant commercial and exploration in space initiatives. Various missions that include the space stations cannot be materialised without space docking. Thus this feat of achieving the space docking will give India a firm foothold to expand its space missions and realise its space research missions. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has said that these two satellites participating in the Space Docking Experiment(SpaDeX),will be controlled as one entity having power transfer checks. After the two postponements this success has infused a new confidence in Indian space research. Spa DeX that was launched on 30th December has deployed the satellites in orbit with an indigenous rocket. Out of 24 payloads, experiments were made to study the plant growth in the microgravity conditions and the seeds planted germinated within four days. This establishes that the food can be grown in space during the missions.the mission will also demonstrate the transfer of electric power between the docked spacecraft that is paramount for the space robotics,composite spacecraft controlling and payload operations after the docking.Prime Minister Narendra Modi is very keen to position India as a global superpower. He has termed the successful SpeDeX mission as a significant stepping stone for India’s ambitious space missions in the years to come. In this backdrop the setting-up of the third launch pad in Andhra Pradesh has been approved. It will be completed in four years at a cost of 39. 85 billion rupees. One thing is clear that space science in India will infuse a new lease of life in the innovation industry. After the IT boom that established India as the hub in terms of skilled human resource, space science is the new buzz word that will surely lead to capacity building and making a new hub of space technology. By achieving its well-deserved place in space technology innovation the nation must remember Dr Vikram Sarabhai who had sowed its seeds with the future in mind. The seed he planted has led to the growth of a big tree that is bearing ripe fruits for Indian space science and enabling it to emerge as the space science power. Indeed “space” is the limit for India.