Space sector reforms announced by the government in June 2020, as part of ‘Unlocking India’s potential in Space Sector’, has enabled NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) to undertake missions in a demand driven model for effective commercial exploitation, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Department of Space said in Rajya Sabha on February 6.

NewSpace India Limited

• The NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), a Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE), under the administrative control of the Department of Space (DOS) was established on March 6, 2019. 

• NSIL is the commercial arm of ISRO with the primary responsibility of enabling Indian industries to take up high technology space related activities.

• It was set up to meet the ever-increasing demands of the Indian space programme and to commercially exploit the emerging global space market. 

• In June 2020, the government enhanced the role and scope of NSIL to encompass more responsibilities in the primary business areas and widen the scope in June 2020.

The revised mandate broadly covers:

i) Owning satellites for earth observation and communication applications.

ii) Providing space-based earth observation and communication services.

iii) Building satellites and launching them as per demand.

iv) Building launch vehicles through Indian industry and launch as per requirements.

v) Providing launch services.

iv) Technology transfer to Indian Industry.

• As part of space sector reforms announced by the government, NSIL was mandated to build, launch, own and operate satellites in “demand-driven mode” for meeting service needs of the user. 

• As part of this, NSIL successfully undertook its first demand-driven satellite mission — GSAT-24 — in June 2022, in which the capacity onboard the satellite was fully secured by M/s TataPlay. 

• GSAT-24 mission was fully funded by NSIL.

Achievements of NSIL:

• The NSIL undertook its second demand driven communication satellite mission, GSAT-N2 (GSAT-20), for meeting broadband service needs. The satellite was successfully launched on November 19, 2024 and it is presently undergoing in-orbit testing and commissioning operations.

• As on date, NSIL has successfully launched 124 international and 3 Indian customer satellites on-board PSLV, LVM3 and SSLV.

• NSIL is currently owning/operating 15 in-orbit communication satellites and providing space-based services to various Indian users for meeting their DTH, VSAT, TV, DSNG, IFMC, broadband and other applications needs.

• NSIL has been disseminating Earth observation satellite data to global customers since May 2023.

• Mission support services: NSIL has provided 11 Launch Vehicle Tracking Supports and nine Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP) and Telemetry Tracking and Command (TTC) supports to Indian and International Customers including one Deep Space Mission Support.

• Towards transfer of ISRO developed technologies to Indian industry, NSIL has signed 75 technology transfer agreements.

• NSIL is closely working with Indian and global customers to build communication and Earth observation satellites for meeting their service needs.

• NSIL has shown consistent growth in its revenue, with its latest figures showing a profit before tax of Rs 803.59 crore for FY 2023-24.

Upcoming projects:

• NSIL will be undertaking its third demand driven communication satellite mission (GSAT-N3), for meeting S-Band communication needs of Indian governmental users. GSAT-N3 satellite is proposed to be launched during the first quarter of 2026.

• NSIL signed a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for end-to-end production of five Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). 

• The first fully Indian industry manufactured PSLV is envisaged to be launched in the second quarter of 2025.

In the coming years, NSIL would strive to further expand its commercial space business in all domains including:

i) Building satellites and launch vehicles.

ii) Providing launch services.

iii) Establishing ground segment.

iv) Providing space-based services using communication and Earth observation satellites.

v) Mission support services.

vi) Transfer of ISRO developed technologies to Indian industries. 

Some of the major business projects that NSIL is envisaging is:

i) Building several communication satellites on demand driven model.

ii) Exploring strategies to realise LVM3 rockets through Indian industry under PPP mode of partnership to commercially exploit the emerging global launch service market.

iii) Enabling private Indian industries in building several earth observation satellites, etc.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)