India’s Space Startups Thriving, Says Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla Ahead of Historic ISS Mission
As Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated India’s growing space industry during his appearance on Lex Fridman’s podcast, Indian Air Force (IAF) Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla shared his views on the remarkable progress of Indian space startups. Shukla, who is set to become the first Indian astronaut to travel to the International Space Station (ISS), spoke to IANS on Tuesday, highlighting the unprecedented growth of domestic space startups.
Shukla, who hails from Lucknow, is scheduled to travel to the ISS on a private mission as part of Axiom Space’s Mission 4 (Ax-4), a collaborative venture between NASA and ISRO. The mission, which is expected to launch in May from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, will make Shukla the first Indian astronaut to reach the orbiting space station.
The 39-year-old astronaut praised the exceptional talent emerging from India, which he believes is driving the rapid growth of the country’s space startup ecosystem. He pointed out that India’s space sector is evolving at an extraordinary rate and that this growth is set to continue, with the country now having a clear policy and vision for space exploration.
“The rate at which the startups in India are growing is unprecedented,” Shukla said in an interview from Axiom Space’s headquarters in Houston, Texas. “This is set to increase even more in the coming years because we have exceptional talent in the country.”
He also commended the Indian Space Policy-2023, noting that it has provided a clear roadmap for the country’s future in space exploration. According to Shukla, the policy outlines detailed programs and goals, including the possibility of a moon landing by 2040.
“The Indian Space Policy 2023 laid out a very clear framework of where India wants to go in the future, laying out programmes, their extensions, and then possibly a landing on the Moon by 2040,” he explained.
Shukla called the ambitious space missions planned for the future “audacious” and “very big dreams.” He emphasized that, through these efforts, India is creating a comprehensive space ecosystem that will benefit startups and the broader space industry.
He also acknowledged the growing demand for technology and expertise in the space sector, which is providing startups with valuable opportunities. “The recipe is right. We have all the ingredients, and they are all coming together. And this is going to increase in the future,” Shukla added.
Prime Minister Modi, in his recent interview with Lex Fridman, highlighted the government’s efforts to open the space industry to the private sector. This move has led to the emergence of over 200 startups focused on cutting-edge space technology. Modi also praised India’s cost-effective space missions, such as the Chandrayaan mission, which was accomplished at a fraction of the cost of Hollywood’s blockbuster films. The Prime Minister emphasized that these frugal innovations generate global respect for Indian talent.
Shukla echoed Modi’s sentiments, stating that India has always been a spacefaring nation, but it took time to develop its own technology, launch vehicles, satellites, and ground stations for space missions. He noted that ISRO is widely respected for its ability to complete complex missions at low costs.
“Now having the pace that we have built up over these years, I think we are utilizing them to take a leap into the extremely challenging domain of human spaceflight missions,” Shukla said, expressing confidence in India’s ability to succeed in human space exploration.
During the Axiom Space mission, which will last up to 14 days, Shukla and the crew will conduct scientific experiments, outreach programs, and commercial activities in microgravity, further advancing India’s role in space exploration.
