ISRO launch: India is a smash hit in space biz, but for how long?
NEW DELHI: In 2014, The New York Times apologised for publishing a cartoon that showed an Indian villager with a cow knocking at the door of a room marked Elite Space Club. The cartoon mocked India putting its Mangalyaan robotic probe into orbit around Mars.
With today's record launch of 104 satellites by ISRO—the highest number of satellites ever launched in a single mission—India has stormed into the elite space club.
Here's what makes India so successful in international space launch business:
1. India's space launches beat those by advanced countries due to the low cost.
2. Mangalayan mission cost India $74 million while the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Mars program cost it $671 million. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said India had spent less to reach Mars than Hollywood spent on a mere movie on space mission, Gravity, which cost $100 million.
3. The cost of SAARC satellite launch scheduled next month is estimated at Rs 236 crore and PSLV launch is pegged at Rs 90 to Rs 100 crore. But the European space agency's Ariane-5 rocket launch costs Rs 721 crore while the US space manufacturer Space X's Falcon-9 costs around Rs 500 crore.
Also Read: ISRO's Record Satellites Launch - Top 10 Facts
4. But India's low-cost edge may not remain forever as latest technology developing in the US might reduce costs drastically.
5. Elon Musk's Space X is developing reusable rockets which will cut costs significantly.
6. India too is developing reusable launch vehicle but it's low-cost edge will depend on how fast India develops this technology.
Also Read: ISRO sends 104 satellites in one go, breaks Russia's record
7. ISRO's reusable rocket project, named Avatar, is expected to take another nine years to complete. By this time, SpaceX might have established its technology in the global launch market.
With today's record launch of 104 satellites by ISRO—the highest number of satellites ever launched in a single mission—India has stormed into the elite space club.
Here's what makes India so successful in international space launch business:
1. India's space launches beat those by advanced countries due to the low cost.
2. Mangalayan mission cost India $74 million while the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Mars program cost it $671 million. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said India had spent less to reach Mars than Hollywood spent on a mere movie on space mission, Gravity, which cost $100 million.
3. The cost of SAARC satellite launch scheduled next month is estimated at Rs 236 crore and PSLV launch is pegged at Rs 90 to Rs 100 crore. But the European space agency's Ariane-5 rocket launch costs Rs 721 crore while the US space manufacturer Space X's Falcon-9 costs around Rs 500 crore.
Also Read: ISRO's Record Satellites Launch - Top 10 Facts
4. But India's low-cost edge may not remain forever as latest technology developing in the US might reduce costs drastically.
5. Elon Musk's Space X is developing reusable rockets which will cut costs significantly.
6. India too is developing reusable launch vehicle but it's low-cost edge will depend on how fast India develops this technology.
Also Read: ISRO sends 104 satellites in one go, breaks Russia's record
7. ISRO's reusable rocket project, named Avatar, is expected to take another nine years to complete. By this time, SpaceX might have established its technology in the global launch market.
