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75 Students’ Satellites Satellites for Everyone

Mission 2022 and Space for Everyone
75 Students’ Satellites Satellites for Everyone
Mission 2022 and Space for Everyone
 TIP TECHNOLOGY
INNOVATION
PRODUCTIZATION
Volume 8 • Issue 1 • September 2021
CO NTENTS

Mission
Enable lively debate,
inspire and enrich the technology  
Steps to Space 21
community of India

Editor-in-chief
L V Muralikrishna  Reddy, PhD, FRSC

Editorial Consultant
Prime Minister's The UNISEC 25
Srinivas Durvasula Global Consortium of
UNGA address and excerpts of
Universities for Space
Indian Space Agenda

Editorial Board
Evolution of Small Satellites - 29
Technology Trends
Prof R M Vasagam, FIE Space for Everyone and
Wooday P Krishna, PhD, FIPE Satellites for Everyone
K Gopalakrishnan, PhD, FIE A Standardized Picosatellite Experience 39
FEES from preliminary design
to in-orbit operations

Editorial Team
S Shanmugam
Impact of Space Technologies on 45
Sustainable Development Goals
Sanketh S Huddar
Success Story 13 Investment opportunities 51
UNITYSat is CubeSat: for SmallSats
Address A Single Card Satellite
#3, First Main, BDA Layout
Kodihalli, HAL 2nd Stage
Bengaluru -560008
TeleFax: +91 80 4850 8380
www.techcongress.in Women Pioneers in 53
Space programmes

Design & Published    

Indian Technology Congress Association
www.itca.org.in

Indian Space Progamme 15 ISRO Initiatives

55
On the path to
©thetechnologycongress Private Industries Participation
Atmanirbhar Bharat
in Indian Space Programme
To publish this
issue of TIP, 75 Students’ Satellites Mission 17 Space 4.0 61
ITCA collaborated The ambitious Industry-Academia Pathways for
with WCRC Collaborative Project Commercial Exploitation

04 TIP September 2021

 Editor-In-Chief

The Commercial Space Era

is here and now...
The space sector is undergoing a
On 20 July 2021, Jeff Bezos,
transformation with many multinational
founder of Amazon and presently business entities investing in the space
the leader of the Global sector, and identifying niche areas L V Muralikrishna Reddy, PhD
Billionaire's list, blasted off into President
where space can add value to their
Indian Technology Congress
suborbital space in a shuttle Blue business on Earth. Another key change Association
Origin, operated by his business, that is taking place is that space
heralding a new era of space programs are moving from being solely operational efficiency and promote
exploration for private citizens. government-funded to partnerships competence in their products and
between the public and private services. According to industry analyst
Likewise, Sir Richard Branson
sectors. As space becomes Morgan Stanley, the global space
soared into space in his VSS commercially focused, we are likely to industry is expected to generate USD
Unity, a rocket operated by Virgin come across new business cases that 1.1 trillion or more in 2040, up from the
Galactic earlier that month. In the will enhance the value of space and USD 350 billion presently.
meantime, SpaceX, founded by could see a proliferation of start-ups
achieving valuations in billions of The Government of India created a
Elon Musk with the goal of
dollars, and operating in multiple new entity, the Indian National Space
reducing space transportation Promotion and Authorization Center
costs, has partnered with the geographies.
(IN-SPACe), to increase private
National Aeronautics and Space The democratization of space is a participation in India's space
Administration (NASA) of the USA recent and enabling phenomenon, programmes to significantly boost the
to carry astronauts to the bringing in new participants and current Indian share of 2% of the world
International Space Station. unveiling new business opportunities. space economy to higher levels.
Like the dot-com era in the early years
ITCA's Students’ satellite mission is also
of the twenty-first Century spawning
gaining pace despite the pandemic
numerous start-ups, New Space is

W
headwinds, and it has recently
hile Bezos has articulated today's ecosystem providing the
launched three satellites under the
his long-term vision of fostering-base for countless business
name UNITYSat and has signed few
establishing space colonies ideas. Successful entrepreneurs from
new assignments. The ITCA satellite
using the lunar lander Blue Moon, other sectors have entered the Space
mission, which has the support of the
there has been a quiet revolution in the arena, embracing risks and challenging
WCRC, UNISEC, and other international
space sector with new organizations the conservativism of the hitherto
partners, are adding substantial value
and commercial entrepreneurs established Old-Space business
and knowledge to the framework.
entering the space domain. model.
Traditionally, the space realm has been Addressing the 76th session of the
New Space is technologically
occupied by institutional players, United Nations General Assembly,
advanced on a revolutionary paradigm Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi
including government-operated of building affordable satellites in articulated India's unique and
national space agencies that shorter time frames, leading to ambitious mission of launching 75
collaborated with private sector decreased costs due to the downsizing satellites into space, built by students
companies to address new of satellite components and from Indian educational institutions on
opportunities. For the first time in subsystems. As a result, the value and the occasion of India's 75th
history, citizens have accessed space commercial advantages traditionally Independence year. This is a significant
by a vehicle built and owned not by reserved exclusively for national space step forward for ITCA's 75 Students'
any governmental agency but by a agencies are now accessible to Satellites Mission objective in
private enterprise with its vision set on commercial enterprises and academic delivering its intended objectives.
affordable space settlement. The institutions.
implications are humungous for public Satellites for Everyone and Space for
policy, industry and society at large. In The slashing of costs for launch and Everyone is the theme of this year's
recent years, nations have made space hardware has attracted new ITC2021. Many national and
significant advances in space entrants into this market. Industries international experts have presented
programmes; despite the COVID across multiple sectors have begun case studies of their projects and
pandemic that delayed or hampered leveraging satellite technology and introduced some of the key learnings in
most of the missions. access to space to enhance small satellite development.

TIP September 2021 05

BUILD
FUTURE
SATs
BY
GREAT
MINDS
Cube/ Micro/ Mini /
Small Satellites Platforms

Design, Development,
Manufacturing &
Integration

TMISAT is an Israeli New Space company Launch Facilitation &

founded by committed professionals and Assistance
entrepreneurs interested in exploring business
prospects in the space sector. TMISAT has the
distinct advantage of being present in all Management of Funds &
aspects, including designing and developing Project Finance

SATs for the ITCA's ambitious 75 Students’

Satellites Mission 2022.

Western Galilee 2286500, ISRAEL

 Chairman
National Advisory
Committee
Satellites Evolution and ITC 2021

Trends

Prof. R.M. Vasagam

Vice President
Indian Technology Congress
Association

TIP September 2021 07

 NEWS
Suborbital Rocket Launches
NASA Challenges Students to Identify Experiments
and testing process that Raven Aerostar vehicles.
NASA researchers use. Each team will also have
access to expert help from
A team of at least four
Future Engineers, the
students and an educator
organization administering
from a public, charter or
the contest.
private school can submit a
proposal for an experiment Proposals must be
to fly on one of two types of submitted via the Future
suborbital flight (in which Engineers website
the vehicle will reach space futureengineers.org by 3
but not orbit the Earth) — a November 2021. NASA will
suborbital rocket or a high- announce winners in Jan
altitude balloon. 2022, and experiments are
planned to launch in early
The 57 winning teams will

T
2023. Students can also
he TechRise Student Challenge, which tasks each receive $1,500 to
register for a virtual field trip
Challenge is open to students in grades six build their experiment and
hosted by NASA and Future
students from grades through 12 with designing a reserved spot to test it on
Engineers on 24 September
6-12 through 3 November experiments to launch on a either a rocket or balloon.
2021, which will provide
2021. NASA is looking for suborbital spaceflight. The The rockets include Blue
more information and
student teams to enter its initiative aims to familiarize Origin's New Shepard, Up
project ideas.
TechRise Student students with the design Aerospace boosters and
Source: space.com

Removal of Space Debris

Astroscale's Satellite aces 1st Orbital Test- A Demonstration Mission

T
he ELSA-d cubesat to the main 386- A typical low Earth orbit and we need a very reliable
spacecraft of Japan- pound (175 kg) removal mission's connectivity and unusually long chain of
based startup craft, Astroscale said in a ranges from 5-15 minutes, connectivity to provide a
Astroscale has successfully statement. The two with 1 or 2 ground station constant real-time data
captured a simulated piece satellites were still held providers in a couple of feed throughout the
of space junk, completing together by the magnetic locations. ELSA-d is demonstrations.
the first phase of a system, which is performing complex
demonstration mission that responsible for capturing demonstrations that have
could pave the way for a the debris. never been done before, Source: space.com
less cluttered future in orbit.
"This has been a fantastic first
Launched on 22 March 2021,
step in validating all the key
ELSA-d brought with it to technologies for rendezvous
orbit a 37-pound (17 and proximity operations and
kilograms) cubesat fitted capture in space"
with a magnetic docking
We are proud to have proven
plate. During the experiment
our magnetic capture
on Wednesday (25 August capabilities and excited to
2021), ground controllers drive on-orbit servicing
first remotely released a forward with ELSA-d.
mechanical locking Nobu Okada
mechanism attaching the Founder and CEO, Astroscale

08 TIP September 2021

 Cover Story
Prime Minister's UNGA address
and excerpts of Indian Space Agenda
Indian government has taken the
initiative to acknowledge that space is
critical to successful governance in the
twenty-first century. India has been
trying to establish a methodology and
road map for access to space, which
encompasses access to the space
environment as well as data,
technology, and funding, allowing
private persons and businesses to
participate in and benefit from the
space economy.
Deciphering the global trend that
nearly half the number of satellites
launched in the last few years have
been made by commercial entities,
Government of India has quickly
moved to promote private sector
activity in all high-technology areas
including space to unlock the
potential of India's youth and
entrepreneurs.
High-Level Segment of the 76th
“To strengthen the science-based The Prime Minister's vision of
Session of the United Nations General
approach, India is promoting Assembly, made an important Atmanirbhar Bharat, India as a self-
Experience Based Learning. We announcement about 75 satellites reliant nation is based on the premise
have opened thousands of Atal launched by Indian schools and that India should emerge as a Space
Tinkering Labs in schools, built college students to commemorate the society using space applications and
incubators and developed a nation's platinum jubilee celebrations technologies to benefit society.
strong start-up ecosystem. of Indian independence.
Prime Minister spoke on a host of
To commemorate the 75th year of This is a remarkable impetus for issues, that encompassed space,
its independence, India is going to contemporary Indian society as it extremism, open sea, and
embraces the new Space era, notably effectiveness of the United States
launch 75 such satellites into
for academic institutions educating Nations. “Today, every sixth person in
space, which Indian students are
their students for futuristic space the world is an Indian. When Indians
developing in schools and progress, the development of the
promises that are attracting global
colleges.” attention and talent. world also gets a boost.
Hon’ble Prime Minister
Shri Narendra Modi @ 76th Globally, space applications are When India grows, the world grows.
UNGA in New York on growing, with new and expanded When India reforms, the world
Saturday, 25 September 2021
opportunities, and the United Nations transforms.
is promoting, encouraging, and

T
Science and technology-based
he United Nations General backing space-based projects among
Innovations in India can greatly help
Assembly (UNGA) is now member nations in order to meet
the world. Both the scale of our Tech-
holding its 76th session, which Sustainable Development Goals.
Solutions and their low cost are
began on 14 September 2021 and will According to an extensive study, the 17
unparalleled.”
conclude on 30 September 2021. On Sustainable Development Goals can
25 September 2021, India's Prime be functionally divided into 169 “Today we all know that in human life,
Minister Shri Narendra Modi objectives, over 40% of which are how important is technology. But in
addressing the General Debate of the dependent on access to space. The the changing world, Technology with

TIP September 2021 09

 Systems (GNSS) making significant
contributions to disaster forecasting
and relief, emergency response by
national teams, search and rescue, and
air and water quality monitoring,
amongst others.
Article 76 of the Sustainable
Development Agenda 2030 highlights
the importance of Earth Observation
and geospatial data as crucial for
achieving the SDGs; while as outlined
in UN Resolution 73/6, the Space 2030
Agenda aims to strengthen “the
contribution of space activities and
space tools to the achievement of the
global agendas addressing long-term
sustainable development concerns of
humankind”. Both Space2030 and the
Sustainable Development Agenda
2030 (SDA) are closely linked and, for a
large part, have common goals and a
common reporting date in 2030.
Honourable Prime Minister Shri
Narendra Modi interacted with space
industries, start-ups and academia to
encourage their participation in space
Democratic Values, it is also (SDGs) established for 2030. Themes activities. The Union Cabinet led by the
necessary to ensure this.” deliberated on by the nations' teams Honourable Prime Minister took the
including macroeconomic policy, historic decision in June 2020 to open
At the United Nations: India, SDGs,
advancement of women, and space as the Space sector and enable the
and the Role of Space
a driver of sustainable development, participation of Indian private sector as
The 76th session of the United Nations international peace, and disarmament. a co-traveller. Government of India has
General Assembly had sustainable Space technologies have come to be articulated the intent to structure an
development as a key agenda, and recognized as integral to the ecosystem that fosters the accelerated
structured discussions to deliberate on accomplishment of SDG with space development of India’s space industry
the active implementation of the programs such as Earth Observation and making the country a leading
Sustainable Development Goals (EO) and Global Navigation Satellite player in the space segment. Proposal
themes deliberated pertain to a vast
range of activities including satellite
constellation, small satellite launch
vehicles, ground station, geospatial
services, propulsion systems and
application products.
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is
expected to inaugurate the Indian
Space Association, an industry body
consisting of various stakeholders of
the Indian space domain including
government bodies such as Indian
Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
and private telecom companies such
as Bharti Airtel’s One Web, Tata
Group’s Nelco, L&T, MapMyIndia, and
others on 11 October 2021 and will also
President Biden hosted the first in-person Quad Leaders’ Summit at the White House 24 September 2021
meet with professionals from the
Participants included Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, space industry on this historic
Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga. occasion.

10 TIP September 2021

 Lead Aticle
Satellites for Everyone and Space
Committee

Space for Everyone ITCA

F
rom the launch of the earth's previously confined to a few countries Expansion of Space Economy
first artificial satellite, Sputnik I, and a few large private corporations.
on 4 October 1957, space-based Another clearly evident tendency is
services have become an integral part Unlike in the Old Space Era, where that a large percentage of the profits
of citizens' daily lives. Today, space government agencies were the sole gained in the space sector so far have
technologies impact multiple touch source of funding and development, come from the space-for-earth
points, including education, public innovation in the age of New Space is economy, which consists of goods or
health, medicine, energy, environment, based on the collaboration and services created in space for use on
information technology, public safety, partnership of public and private Earth. The space-for-earth economy
consumer goods, industrial businesses, entrepreneurs, and was primarily focused on satellite
productivity, national defence, and academia. Today, Space 4.0 is communication and internet services;
homeland security, and has played a emerging as a democratized and level earth observation capabilities; satellite
significant role in integrating societies playing field characterized by more positioning and navigation; and
and regions across the globe. public-private and private-private remote-sensing satellites, which
synergies and partnerships with the collect data from energy reflected or
Space 1.0 heralded the introduction of emitted from Earth. However, there is
inception of numerous start-ups to
the Global Positioning System (GPS). significant contextual evidence to
medium-sized private organizations.
Industry analysts estimate that GPS suggest that the day is not far off when
Continuous space developments will
satellites have generated we can envision a growing space-for-
undoubtedly play a significant part in
approximately USD 1.7 trillion worth space economy where goods and
tackling the present and next decade's
economic benefits since the services are produced and used in
pressing social issues and guarantee a
technology was commercially adopted space, with SpaceX's recent
healthy and sustainable future for the
in the 1980s. accomplishments and those of Blue
next generation.
Origin, Virgin Galactic, and Boeing,
The advent of Space 2.0 systems, putting people in space and ushering
counting on innovations such as Segmentation of the Space Sector
in a new chapter of private spaceflight.
Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of
Space activities can be classified into
Things (IoT), robotics and It has been established that near-earth
sectors-national and homeland
contemporary communication asteroids possess significant reserves
security (defence), civil and
technologies, has made the use of of metals, minerals, and materials
commercial. While the defence and
space-based services pervasive, with essential to electronics and the high-
civil sectors have been around for the
many more countries and commercial tech industry on Earth. In 2018,
organizations launching and operating last few decades, we see an upsurge
Luxembourg became the first nation to
satellites. As a result, it is anticipated in the commercial sector. In the
pass state legislation, granting private
that more than 40,000 small satellites commercial segment, all space-
businesses the legal framework to
expected to launch by 2030, related endeavours are delivered by
extract resources from near-Earth
deepening society's reliance on private sector businesses with the
asteroids. In the coming decade, we
space-based assets and ushering in an legal capacity to offer their products,
are likely to see new business cases
era of innovative products and solutions and services to private
such as mining the Moon or asteroids
services. citizens, business entities and non-
for material becoming viable with
governmental customers.
manufacturing in space becoming a
With the culmination of the Cold War
reality.
and increased cooperation between A distinguishing aspect of New Space
nation-states, an era of collaboration or is that, while each sector has its own Transformation of National Space
Space 3.0 began with ambitious aims and assets, the sectors leverage Agencies
multinational programs like the and profit from a shared space
International Space Station (ISS). While industrial base, educated workforce, The space industry's transformation
this provided new possibilities for and infrastructure that has been built has necessitated that national space
emerging nations to join and through time, with the majority of the agencies such as the Indian Space
contribute to space activities that were funds coming from taxpayers. Research Organization, the National

TIP September 2021 11

Aeronautics and Space in orbit. In addition, small receivers, farmers would be observation data is being
Administration, and the satellite constellations can able to customize the analysed in real-time,
European Space Agency ensure continuous renewal application of fertilizers and enhancing the speed of
transition from being the of the satellite system, pesticides to each location response by Government
sole champions and which translates to the in their field and would and other teams.
investors to being one of delivery of optimum avoid over application of
Future is Now...
many participants in a technological services at all pesticides and nutrients.
democratised national times. Small satellites, including
Satellite based services
space sector. CubeSats are a
Use cases provide real-time and
technological enabler,
The national space predictive information on
Satellite communication is facilitating breakthrough
agencies, in addition to fishing locations that can be
likely to play a significant innovations across all
pursuing and progressing geo referenced using GPS
role in the deployment of industries and sectors of
strategic programmes will and monitor factors that
5G and beyond, as a the economy. Enterprises of
need to play a role in influence fish movements
possible solution for tomorrow are likely to use
structuring a conducive and including sea surface
ubiquitous coverage, CubeSats as building
progressive regulatory temperature and ocean
reliable aerospace and blocks and leverage the
framework, promoting colour.
maritime communication, development of high-
establishment and growth
Space-based technologies performance satellite
of the private sector, remote or rural area
have played a pivotal role in payloads and subsystems
attracting foreign business coverage and back-up
promoting global health to drive business value and
while representing and communication in case of
and have been used for growth.
articulating the nation's national calamities and
understanding
vision and strategy in the disasters. By 2025-2027, it is While it is true that space
environmental triggers for
global comity of countries. possible that there will be technologies are
the spread of diseases,
more than 75-100 High developing at a faster pace
The proliferation of Small monitoring disease
Throughput Satellite (HTS) than what policymakers
Satellites patterns, identifying risk
systems using and global citizens may
areas, and specifying
Global technological Geostationary Earth Orbit understand, it is important
regions for disease-control
advances, including high- (GEO) and large that experts in downstream
planning. Satellite
quality semiconductors constellations of Low Earth applications create
communication has
from the extremely price- Orbit (LEO) satellites adequate thought-
emerged as a critical piece
sensitive mobile phone delivering Terabit per leadership and technology
of the nation's health
industry, 3D printing of second (Tbps) internet focus group to convince
information infrastructure.
parts, access to the spare capacity across the globe. Governments and industry
Applications of satellite
capacity of large rockets We are also likely to see the associations about the
technology include
through ridesharing, have proliferation of Internet of need to create and maintain
telemedicine which has
helped grow the use of Things (IoT) devices, and national spatial data
been used effectively
Commercial-off-the-shelf these would be able to infrastructure that can be
during the Covid-19
(COTS) high-performance transmit data seamlessly made available for
pandemic for medical
and affordable-cost without performance commercial exploitation.
professionals to examine
hardware for small degradation issues. There is also an urgent
and diagnose patients
satellites. virtually and minimize in- need to build a framework
"Precision agriculture" is the
person contact. to support research and
The standardisation of optimum and efficient use
development, capacity-
CubeSats and small of resources, farm Contemporary building and data sharing.
satellites has facilitated the machinery and efforts technological advances
transformation of the made possible using including Artificial
satellite industry, with precise position data. Intelligence, Machine
missions development Constellations of Learning and Cloud
costs dropping to fractions nanosatellites and SpaceTech
Computing are enabling
of the price of conventional CubeSats will help farmers users to analyse large
applications provide
satellites and development assess the health of the soil datasets of earth over 99 percent of
time reduced to about 8-12 and crops, determining observation data in an accurate weather
months from the time the fertilizer needs and accurate and efficient forecasts.
need is assessed to the estimating yields. Using manner. Using these
time the satellite is placed equipment with GPS technologies, earth

12 TIP September 2021

 Secretary General
ITCA

UNITYSat is CubeSat:
A Single Card Satellite
Launched Successfully in ISRO PSLV C51 Amazonia Mission on 28 Feb 2021
entire process is mentored by senior
Primary Mission scientists superannuated from ISRO
The UNITYSat is designed for it with their generous Dr. K. Gopalakrishnan
being a Technology motivation/encouragement and the Project Director
Demonstration of Indigenously proactive support of the Industries, 75 Student’s Satellites Mission
developed systems for such as Alpha Design Technologies,
nanosatellite applications. Karnataka Hybrid Micro Devices Ltd,
New Tech Solutions, Kepler Aerospace
Secondary Mission and Micropack Limited who have
100MHz, Power Efficient ARM Cortex
Experimental study of ultra- come forward to hand hold the teams
M4 Processors x 2
compact satellites in space and providing necessary special
environment technical/expertise/services/clean Latch-up Protections and Automatic
rooms/testing facilities etc along with Reset Ics
Experimental LoRa Inter
educating/mentoring the team Critical Data Storage: 2MB FRAM +
Satellite Communication
members. This mission has also tested 4MB MRAM
Establishment of open- the viability of the utilization of such
source satellite IoT network systems in nanosatellite development. Low Iq (Quiescent Current) wide
based on LoRa Input Voltage Range Switching
This satellite is developed as a 0.35U
Testing indigenously Batteries Voltages between 1.8V to
SlimSat that enables Universities and
developed CubeSat 5.5V
Colleges to develop full- fledged
Deployer System. Satellite Systems with an affordable Power Rails Available: 3.3V and 5V
cost/lesser cost when compared to Maximum Power Output of 15.75 W

U
the typical systems that need to be
NITYsat consists of THREE imported from companies like Frequency Range of 435 - 438 MHZ
Satellites, JITSat, GHRCESat EnduroSat, Pumpkin etc.. The entire Output Power (dBm) of 30dBm
and SriShakthiSat built jointly team has been trained at International
Rx Sensitivity is -137 dBm
by TSC Technologies P Ltd, a students’ Space University, Strausberg, France,
start-up initiated/supported/mentored Samara National Research University, Bandwidth of 125 kHz
by Indian Technology Congress Russia, Tel Aviv University and
The UNITYSat is also designed to
Association (ITCA). The UNITYSat is Technion at Israel, Tokyo University,
study the application of LoRa modems
designed as a Joint Development by Japan etc through ITCA’s interventions
for inter-satellite communication by
Jeppiaar Institute of Technology, and network in the past 2-3 years.
transmitting satellite beacon signals
Sunguvarchatram, Sriperumpudur
This SlimSat design, called UNITYSat and having the other satellites in the
(JITSat), G. H. Raisoni College of
is a 0.33U satellite that has the mesh act as a relay and eventually
Engineering, Nagpur (GHRCESat) and
following general features: transmitting it to a ground station. It is
Sri Shakthi Institute of Engineering and
Technology, Coimbatore (Sri Shakthi
Sat) as a Technology Demonstration
Mission for studying the indigenously
developed satellite subsystems at LEO
such as the On-Board Command, Data
Handling System, the Electronic Power
System and the Communication
System. NHCE Students’ start-up, TSC
Technologies Pvt Ltd, Bangalore and
Committee for Space Program
Development (CSPD), Serbia has
initially provided technical assistance
for the teams of consortium of these
three colleges mentioned above. The

TIP September 2021 13

study the application of called SatNOGS. This
LoRa modems for inter- platform consists of
satellite communication by hundreds of ground
transmitting satellite stations around the world.
beacon signals and having We are designing this
the other satellites in the satellite to be able to
mesh act as a relay and interact with all these
Hardware Design Review is under Progress:
eventually transmitting it to stations. UNITYsat Team is at Newtech Solutions Clean Room
a ground station. It is also
This mission also includes
designed to operate on an
the development of an
open-source LoRa platform
indigenous CubeSat
thereby giving access to
deployment system that
anyone who wants to use it.
will help reduce the weight
The data will be encrypted
of the satellite deployer.
but the key for decryption
This will drastically reduce
will be shared through the
the cost for launching such
open-source platform
nanosatellites.

ITCA-TSC UNITYsat Team - After Successful Launch of THREE Satellites:

CubeSat/Single Card Satellite/UNITYsat is ready for Launch! Team with Chairman Dr. K. Sivan, Secretary, Department of Space (DOS),
Demonstration of Inter-Satellite Communication Chairman, ISRO @ Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) – SHAR, Sriharikota.

UNITYSat (JITSat, GHRCESat & Sri ShakthiSat Data: SriShakthiSat:

SriShakthiSat):
[SX1268] Data: 165:204: Apogee: 515.5 km
THREE Satellites Launched on 28 97:38.00:37.00:37.00:40.00: Perigee: 501.3 km
Feb 2021 by PSLV-C51 Amazonia 12:208:255:255:END:
Inclination: 97.4537 Degrees
Mission
[SX1268] RSSI: -109.00 dBm
Orbital Elements/TLE:
Operational Status: [SX1268] SNR: -13.75 dB
OBJECT S (JITSat)
All satellites are Currently Operational [Sx1268] Frequency error: 2425.45 Hz
1 47716U 21015S 21179.15869541 -
JITSat Data: NORAD IDs/COSPAR IDs: .00000070 00000-0 00000+0 0
9990
[SX1268] Data: 165:170: JITsat: 47716/21015S
97:37.00:35.00:36.00:38.00: 12: 2 47716 97.4542 253.3386 0010644
GHRCEsat: 47717/21015T 227.8215 132.2524 15.21580094 18115
16:255:255:END:
Sri Shakthi Sat: 47718/21015U
[SX1268] RSSI: -115.00 dBm OBJECT T (GHRCESat)
Current Orbital Parameters: 1 47717U 21015T 21179.16289354 -
[SX1268] SNR: -11.50 dB
.00000070 00000-0 00000+0 0
JITSat:
[SX1268] Frequency error: 1950.16 Hz 9990
Apogee: 515.5 km
GHRCESat Data: 2 47717 97.4561 253.3293 0011249
Perigee: 500.9 km 231.2650 128.8200 15.21500929 18221
[Sx1268] Data: 165:187:
97:37.00:38.00:38.00:40.00: Inclination: 97.4542 Degrees OBJECT U (SRISHAKTHISat)
13:201:255:255:END: GHRCESat: 1 47718U 21015U 21179.16386204 -
[SX1268] RSSI: -113.00 dBm .00000070 00000-0 00000+0 0
Apogee: 516.2 km 9993
[SX1268] SNR: -12.70 dB Perigee: 500.7 km 2 47718 97.4537 253.3253 0010342
[Sx1268] Frequency error: 1750.25 Hz Inclination: 97.4561 Degrees 235.8699 124.2095 15.21513384 18228

14 TIP September 2021

 Thought Leader’s
Perspective

Private Industries Participation in

Indian Space Programme

A fter three industrial revolutions countries is also slowly and steadily Dr. Mylswamy Annadurai
the emergence of space emerging. This along with limited Distinguished Scientist
programme that enabled the manpower at ISRO leads to the lack of Director(Rtd)
adequate manpower to meet the ISRO Satellite Centre
humanity to make use of the space as
a vantage point for the pursuit of additional requirements.
science and societal applications has
Foreseeing a possible crisis in the
driven to hugely invested eventual scenario has all the potential
manpower inadequacy, ISRO has
infrastructure and human talent in the to create a vibrant and competitive
sought the help of external industry to
hands of few developed countries. space industry within India.
have a near parallel line up for an end
However, a visionary approach by Dr
to end satellite making process flow in An ecosystem of fully geared up
Vikram Sarabahai followed by Prof
a structured way. ISRO did a space industry to make the satellites
Dhawan led to the initiation and
supportive hand holding for the select and launch is expected to provide an
growth of Indian Space programme to
group of industries from components affordable space transport system
have a national space systems for the
screening to satellite integration and along with innovative solutions from
societal benefits.
testing. The teams that successfully the space in the areas of
Today Indian space programme spear went through the drill are given the communication, navigation and earth
headed by ISRO (Indian Space due opportunity to build a parallel observation. This is expected to
Research Organisation) has grown leap process line to make the satellites that provide enough room for ISRO’s R&D
and bounds. During it’s 60 year long are repeatable and routine in nature. manpower to concentrate their efforts
journey ISRO has acquired end to end Since 2016 responsibility of making towards newer technologies and new
capability to build, launch and operate some of the navigation, earth frontiers in space while leaving the
all type of missions for earth observation and communication burden of making more and satellite
observation, communication, satellites has been given to the launches that are commercially
navigation, meteorology, science selected and trained man power from competitive and lucrative to the
missions and now it has graduated the external industries at ISRO facilities. industry. To source the required
itself to embark on missions like This has led to an ecosystem of skilled manpower with adequate skill sets and
Chandrayaan, Mangalyaan, Aditya and manpower from external industry to aptitude, it is expected that both ISRO
Gaganyaan. Required infrastructure make satellite systems end to end. and Industry entering into a healthy
and human expertise have been competition to lure the bright students
Having seen the success in bringing
acquired indigenously. Government of from academia by some challenging
the external industry for satellite
India has made huge investments to and attractive offerings. Such a win-
making, now ISRO has embarked to
build the state of the art infrastructure win-win situation along with the post
identify external industry partners who
facilities at various ISRO pandemic new norm of countries
could learn with ISRO team and
centres across India with larger shying away from China has a potential
acquire the capability to make and
capacities and capabilities. to trigger a spiralling growth for Indian
prepare for launch ISRO’s work horse
space industry along with academia.
While infrastructures have PSLV to start with and later graduate to
been enhanced the GSLV M-III.
requirement of more and more
While ISRO may hand hold the
satellites for the new and Universities
industry partners at the initial stages,
increased societal needs like
gradually it is expected the industry
digital India, E-governance,
partners could equip themselves to
emerging internal and external
bid for satellite and launch vehicles for Industries
security threats are also going
both national and international ISRO
up. Additionally possibility of
customers under the guidelines of
India’s support for the space
national space policy. Such an
programmes of friendly

TIP September 2021 15

 SAT’s Mission

75 Students’ Satellites Mission

The ambitious Industry-Academia Collaborative Project

An Initiative of ITCA to life and carry out the operation nation's CubeSat ecosystem and skills
within the time frame available. competency.
ITCA envisioned 75 satellite missions,
that has been thoroughly planned, The Vision The Benefits
designed, constructed, launched, and To exploit SPACE's enormous potential
monitored by students from academic The work is undeniably complex and
through the capacity development of
institutions to commemorate India's global in scope, necessitating a
student-built SmallSats
75th anniversary of independence broader range of abilities and skills.
(1947-2022). Under the leadership of The Mission Developing and launching 75 small
ITCA, this ambitious mission was The primary objective is to leverage satellites, alone or even as part of a
conceived in association with student SmallSat development to constellation system, will improve the
prominent space scientists and broaden skills and standards in a range efficiency of communications,
TechSpace enterprises worldwide. In of space technologies, engineering, monitoring, and telemetric evaluations.
addition, the teams collaborated and applications. In addition, students Which will contribute to a wide range
assiduously with several professional from diverse universities, institutions, of applications such as disaster
organizations from across the world, and schools will work with commercial mitigation, forestry, fisheries,
including TMISAT-Israel, Israel space-related companies and R&D healthcare, education, agriculture, and
Aerospace Industries, CSPD-Serbia, institutes to develop and deploy 75 solutions that are boundless
and UNISEC-Japan, to bring this vision Satillites, therefore increasing the everywhere, and are for everyone.

TIP September 2021 17

 75 Students’ Satellites Mission
Engineer Your Satellite (EYS)
The Journey

The decision was made during the ITC2017 in Bangalore in

September 2017 to institutionalize Indian Technology
Congress’ activities.
The ITCA Space Team paid a visit to Mr Ofir Akunis, Israel's
Minister of Science and Technology, in the Israeli Parliament
in June 2018 to establish the India-Israel Space Partnership.
In September 2018, the "75 Students' Satellites Mission 2022"
was unveiled at ITC2018.
Providing an NSIL-ISRO launch service to Israeli
EYS is an ITCA up-skilling and certification
schoolchildren-developed Duchifat-3 satellite.
programme that will aid in the stunning initiative of
75 Students’ Satellites Mission 2022. The EYS UNISEC India began operations in 2018.
activities are intended to improve faculty and The first International Programme on Students' Satellite
student skills while also successfully contributing to Mission was held in September at ITC 2018.
their envisioned ambitious project missions of The 75 Students' Satellites Consortium was launched in
student satellite development, which will precisely October 2018.
progress the country's Sat-ecosystems.
November 2018 marks the start of the second International
ITCA has carefully fostered a range of capacity Program on Student Satellite Missions.
building programmes, including overseas trips, A National Seminar on New Space - As Era of Small Satellite:
practice-based learning, on-campus skilling, Opportunities and challenges in April 2019.
workshops, and among others, to maximize WCRC was established to support and encourage university
participants' learning outcomes for more participation in the field of space engineering - 2019.
considerable contributions to Sat project missions Third International Programme on Students' Satellites
Mission at ITC2019 in September 2019.
.EYS planned exploratory tours to Israel, Serbia,
and Russia are tailored to industry standards for In October 2019, ITCA’s teams took the first and second
addressing immediate competency-based places in the Serbia International CanSat / Rocketry
Space skill improvement in pursuit of Competition and the UNISEC Global Special Jury Awards.
mission long-term success. Launching of Duchifat-3 through NSIL in December 2019
75 Students' Satellites Consortium earned the ARISS SSTV
Award from the International Space Station (ISS) for
photographs transmitted by the ISS when it sailed over India
utilizing the Ground Station consortiums December 2019.
75 Student’s Satellites Visits of Israeli teams to discussion for 75 Students' Satellites
Mission Prospects Mission 2022-February 2021.
Successful Launch of UNITYSat (3-in-1 Satellites)-February
2021.
ITCA's Global Technology Cooperation Initiatives with Israel-
April 2021.
Success Meet of UNITYSat (3-in-1 JITSat, GHRCESat and
SriShakthiSat) in June 2021.
First government high school in India to develop a satellite:
Dr. C N AshwathNarayan, Karnataka's Minister of Science and
Technology, announced at Bengaluru on 8 July 2021 that the
Government Boys High School in Malleswaram, Bengaluru
will be launching a student-built satellite in August 2022,
and with this, will position itself as the first government high
school in India to develop a satellite.
International event on "Satellites for Everyone and Space for
Everyone" at ITC2021, September 2021.
Our Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri. Narendra Modi Ji's address
to the world leaders at the 76th Session of United Nations'
General Assembly on Saturday, 25 September 2021
referencing the "75 Students' Satellites Mission 2022".

18 TIP September 2021

 ITCA
Practice Initiative
Systems Engineering and
SmallSats
To Enhance Success of Small Satellite Mission

T
he New Space Era has been performed throughout the lifecycle in
characterized by the paradigm a manner to ensure higher mission Srinivas Durvasula
shift to launching of small successes for space missions (known Business Manager
satellites characterized by reduction in as mission assurance). The Indian Technology
the development time, lowering of engineering activities across the Congress Association
costs and increasing deployment of project lifecycle are organized into five
miniaturized electronic components phases: concept, preliminary design,
resulting in a smaller form factor. With critical design, verification and fulfilment of each requirement
this, access to space that was hitherto validation, operations and disposal. identified in the requirements
exclusively reserved for large document and in the requirements
While typical space missions may verification matrix. The project team
companies or national space agencies
require the development of the space, should complete a flight readiness
has been democratized and made
ground, and launch systems; smallsat review (FRR) with external reviewers to
open to organizations of all sizes.
missions do not require the establish the readiness for launch.
The uniqueness of Small Satellites development of all three systems. After a successful FRR, the project
(SmallSats) is that the development Smallsats are typically launched as team packages the satellite and
time in many cases is about a year (12 secondary payloads and are launched delivers the satellite to the launch
months) from the time the need is out of containers (also called provider for its journey into an orbit.
articulated to the time the satellite is deployers), and do not require the
placed in orbit. Old Space that was development or performance of The final phase of the SmallSat
characterized by risks of obsolescence launch activities. mission involves the post launch
and possibility of failure, has given way operation. As part of the mission
In addition to the design of the space
to constellations of SmallSats which operations, the SmallSat team will
and ground systems, the satellite
ensure that a consistent state-of-the- implement a data collection, storage,
development program is stitched
art system is maintained, always and distribution scheme, where the
through the project management
ensuring delivery of optimum payload data along with satellite
tasks. These tasks are typically
technological service. health data are gathered, stored, and
organized by the project manager and
While SmallSats have lowered the include the following activities: downlinked to the ground. Commands
barrier to entry to amateurs from identifying roles, responsibilities, tasks from the ground station are uplinked to
academia and professionals from while organizing team personnel, the SmallSat as may be necessary.
industry and research institutions, developing schedule that shows the
Management innovations are needed
there has been an increasing pressure entire lifecycle, developing and
by the smallsat project team
on the participants to ensure success managing the budget, identifying
leadership to exploit the potential
in the first launch attempt itself. This facilities required for development and
advantages offered by the small
has led to the replacement of ad-hoc operations and determining the
satellite approach. It is essential for the
practices by first-time practitioners required compliances and approvals,
team to adopt an agile and less
(characterized by lower reliability and and finalizing launch opportunities.
hierarchical approach than is typical for
greater chance of failure) with During scheduling, it is suggested to
larger missions.
structured processes and practices identify the long lead time items
that guide development teams because most Commercially Off the To conclude, Systems Engineering is a
through a formal project lifecycle, from Shelf (COTS) components have 3-6 multidisciplinary and collaborative
concept to retirement. months lead time and must be engineering approach to design,
accounted for. The cost budget is also develop, integrate, and validate an
Work is currently in progress to
updated with the detailed design and optimum engineering solution across
develop project lifecycle models for
the budget must include non-material the development lifecycle and achieve
SmallSats and is based on the
costs. It is important to factor the stakeholders’ expectations. It is
understanding of systems engineering
contingencies, both in the schedule
principles with the objective of essential that nanosatellite projects
and the budget.
reducing ad-hoc development efforts adopt a suitable Systems Engineering
in smallsats. A unique feature of all On the successful completion of the process so as to avoid re-work,
project lifecycle models is to ensure system level tests, it is important for schedule overruns, lower costs, and
that engineering activities are the project teams to assess the also reduce system complexity.

TIP September 2021 19

 Global
Practitioner

Steps to Space

T
his topic is precisely the main CSPD has also gone through these Dušan Radosavljevic
reason why the Committee for problems, but during hard work and Founder and Head,
Space Programme effort it has proven to be an excellent Committee for Space Programme
Development (CSPD) was founded, i.e. tool for changing the consciousness of Development (CSPD), Serbia
Founder, World CanSat/Rocketry
the main goal of the CSPD is reflected people in post-conflict regions, i.e. for
Championship, Serbia
in the title of this topic. This is what all Peace/Cooperation among people no
enthusiasts face at the beginning, how matter what crisis they face because answers to these questions and to
to reach the goal, how to achieve it thinking is much broader. Space continue to work on themselves
taking into account the problems that diplomacy represents a different concretely. This program is a direct
already exist at the very beginning. The approach to change people's thinking, connection to the Space in some way
CSPD wanted to show by its example, especially decision makers. because it is a simulation of a real
and help others, that it is possible to Sometimes it is necessary to do Space mission. After this the next step
achieve this goal and to in some way something much bigger in order for is the Space. Serbia is the country
define that path (steps) so that others the problems at much lower levels to where CSPD was founded, a country
can use it. Therefore, the CSPD is not a finally be solved. completely new in this field, and CSPD
national organization, it was only is the only organization that deals with
founded in Serbia, but it is Space Engineering. So all mentioned
international, both in terms of FIRST Step to Space
problemswere present. We have no
membership and in terms of Define a Strategy for the capacity choice but to start slowly, from the
programs/projects, i.e. activities. The building and human resources beginning, from scratch. The
desire to do something, for Serbia and development in the field of Space knowledge gained abroad and online,
the whole region to be part of the Engineering for all levels of as well as the fundamental knowledge
World and in this area, to go to Space education! acquired in the country, we used for
was simply too great, but also a this pioneering endeavor. We have
problem. However, a rational defined the Strategy for the Space
understanding of the circumstances program development in the country,
Today, there is much greater potential
was important and the application of i.e. for the capacity building and
in terms of enthusiasm in countries
an adequate approach and tools human resources development in the
that are just entering these waters. It
accordingly. The approach was field of Space Engineering. The
takes much less investment to do
international, and the main tool was of interdisciplinarity of this field has
something big, because money is still
course education, i.e. applied enabled us to include experts from
not a main motive. It sounds
education. various fields: engineers, pilots, radio
paradoxical, but a situation like this is
good for the progress of humanity. Of amateurs, astronomers, space
Today, the Space is not technically
course, countries like this and small lawyers, etc. The Strategy has covered
inaccessible to many countries for
players cannot be compared to big all levels of education, that is, from
economic reasons, but for systemic
players and those who have been in kindergarten to higher education. We
reasons. Conflict and post-conflict
the game for a long time, but there is have defined programs/projects by
regions, disordered and unstable
definitely a much greater driving levels of education, as well as their
systems, manipulation with everyday
potential. A lot of theory is taught at complexity. We applied a step by step
problems, etc. are just some of the
universities, students after graduation process.
reasons why the voice of those who
want to do a little and a lot in this area are not sure what they know and what In line with the CSPD's Strategy for
is not heard. This area, unlike others, they do not know, they lack vertical capacity building and human resource
earthly, is selfless. Everything you do education, hands on. Space development in this area, certain
about the Space concerns everything Engineering programs, such as the Educational/developmental
and everyone, it concerns every CanSat/Rocketry program, are programs have been in place for
inhabitant of a spaceship called Earth. designed to provide students with several years:

TIP September 2021 21

 During the International Association of Serbia
CanSat/Rocketry Ÿ Aero Club Sremska FOURTH Step to Space
Competition in Serbia, our Mitrovica
Rockets were used, and a Establish even stronger
Ÿ Governmental bodies
three-stage Rocket for flight International
(Agencies, Accredited
into the Stratosphere is Cooperation!
laboratories, Testing
currently under
CanSat/Rocketry Program facilities etc.)
(All Levels of Education +
development.
Competitions)
Ÿ Private entities and
We also use Water Rockets industry Ÿ India (Strategic
for educational purposes. Partnership), Italy
Today, Primary schools,
These Rockets turned out (FEES), Russia, Hungary,
Secondary technical
to be most suitable for Mexico, Tunisia, Ghana,
schools and Gymnasiums
teaching students in the Greece (SatNOGS),
and Higher education
elementary and secondary Japan, Spain, Portugal,
institutions from Serbia are
school and it was one of the Brazil, Peru, Canada,
actively cooperating with
disciplines of the Saudi Arabia, Kuwait,
Stratospheric Balloon Launch the CSPD.
competition. Egypt, Kenya etc. (more
(Secondary and University For the needs of realization
Level of Education) than 60 countries)
The CSPD constantly of its activities, the CSPD
improves existing and apply made a strategic Ÿ UNISEC Global
new programs/projects in cooperation with the Aero
cooperation with partners Ÿ UNDP
Club Sremska Mitrovica and
from Serbia and abroad to established the Aerospace Ÿ UNICEF
achieve the defined goals. Center at the Airport Veliki
Radinci. In this Center Ÿ ARISS
SECOND Step to Space CSPD’s engineers carry out Ÿ Advice: If you can help
PocketQube 3D Printed activities of development
(University Level of Education)
Define basic and realistic someone in another
applicative activities and testing of equipment country do it without
(Programs/ Projects) that (Rockets development and monetary
follow the Strategy for testing, Rocket launch, compensation, build
capacity building and Antenna development and trust and a network, you
human resources testing, Components
will automatically
development in the field development and testing,
expand your influence
of Space Engineering! etc.), then activities related
and make a strategic
to education, trainings,
partnership that is
competitions, etc..
In line with this step, the actually a win win
CubeSat “hybrid”
As far as the educational situation. Together you
(University Level of Education) CSPD has a number of
process is concerned, it is are stronger, together
applicative projects/
very important to you will easier get
programs:
understand that the funding and achieve
involvement of both goals. When you help
THIRD Step to Space lecturers and students is others you
equally important and
automatically get a
Establish a strong encouraging their creativity
friend and ally,
Ground Station Program / Domestic Cooperation! without much conditioning.
Satellite Communication
especially if you use this
They need to be taught the
Program as a tool for re-
(Secondary and University essence and insist on
Level of Education) Ÿ Elementary Schools cooperation in the post-
creativity. The goal is for
Ÿ Secondary technical conflict region (CSPD
everyone to have fun and at
schools and helps and Montenegro
the same time to learn and
Gymnasiums and Bosnia and
get ideas, which are
actually the true motivation. Herzegovina). No one
Ÿ Higher education
From the beginning, should be selfish, but
institutions (Universities
emphasize the open. This commune is
and Colleges)
interdisciplinarity of this too small, open
Ÿ Aviation Association of cooperation is the only
Modeling for 3D Printing and area and teamwork, i.e. the
Testing of New Serbia way to develop it in a
Materials/filaments equal importance of each
(University Level of Education) Ÿ Radio Amateur person/member. sustainable way.

22 TIP September 2021

 Global
Practitioner

Polish Satellite Industry –

Growing Market
Justyna Pelc
The Polish space sector is Co-founder
relatively young. Poland joined Innspace
the European Space Agency in Poland
2012, and the Polish Space
Agency was established in
2014. The space sector has only small satellites. The project was KP Labs is responsible for Intuition-1
been developing in Poland for successfully launched and placed in mission. It is a satellite mission
less than a decade. So what orbit in 2014. Another interesting designed to observe the Earth using a
does it look like today? project was called BRITE. Bright-star hyperspectral instrument and an on-
Target Explorer (BRITE) is a program of board computing unit capable of
the Canadian-Austrian-Polish processing data using neural networks
consortium, whose goal was to create (artificial intelligence) in orbit.
a constellation of nanosatellites

P
oland's accession to ESA had a Innovative solutions
capable of observing stars brighter
huge impact on local than the Sun. Polish part was One of the most interesting solutions
businesses. They were able to represented i.e. by Space Research was designed by ICEYE. ICEYE is a
participate in ESA tenders, also on Center of the Polish Academy of Polish-Finnish company, building a
preferential (during the first years) Sciences, which was responsible for satellite-based service to provide the
terms. It had a huge impact on the mechanical design of 2 satellites – world with access to near-real-time
great boom and the creation of many Lem and Heweliusz. They were imagery from space. Their synthetic
startups dealing with space projects. launched in 2013 and 2014. aperture radar (SAR) instrument can
Today, years later, it can already be capture images through clouds,
Development of this Industry
seen that certain specializations have darkness and other obscuring
emerged in the local space sector. During the next year, other student elements, making it more reliable for
One of the fastest growing sectors is satellites were launched – PW-Sat2 operational use than optical camera
the satellite sector. It also has a lot to and KrakSAT, and more are being systems.
do with the mission of the Polish prepared (PW-Sat3, WroSat). The
Conclusions
Space Agency: "in 2030, the Polish commercial market started to develop
space sector will be fully competitive as well. It is worth to present That’s just a few examples of Polish
on a global scale in selected areas and companies like SatRevolution, satellite sector solutions. This industry
will be able to ensure Poland Creotech or KP Labs. is growing fast in Poland and we can
independence in access to satellite be sure to see more companies and
Launching in June 2021, STORK is the projects related to this sector.
data and its application". As you can
innovative shared platform with Earth-
see, the satellite industry is one of the
Observation capabilities. It was made
top priorities.
by Polish company SatRevolution,
What does this part of the sector look which currently builds the REC (Real- Satellites encompass the
like in Poland? time Earth-observation Constellation) whole world, enabling high-
satellite constellation planned for capacity communications
Very beginning of Polish Satellites
2026, which will ultimately consist of and transmission over vast
Sector
1500 observation satellites. Creotech is and inaccessible areas such
The first Polish satellite was created by the fastest growing Polish operating as deserts, mountain ranges,
students and was called PW-SAT. The company in the space sector. They are islands, forests, and
design in the 1U standard was to test working now on HyperSat or Eagle Eye wetlands.
an innovative system for deorbiting satellites.

TIP September 2021 23

 NEWS

The first 75 GHz Signals are sent from Space

T
he W-Cube smallsat The satellite is now
is the first satellite modelling, for the first time
that ESA has ordered ever, how a 75 GHz signal
from Finland and is part of can penetrate the Earth’s
ESA’s ARTES project, which atmosphere. This opens
is coordinated by Joanneum possibilities for the use of
Research in Austria. Reaktor the high millimeter wave The penetration through from Cape Canaveral,
Space Lab developed and frequency range in the atmospheric layers by Florida, on a SpaceX Falcon
manufactured W-Cube’s communications satellites the signal needs to be 9 launch vehicle as one of
satellite platform. VTT in the future. understood before the the satellites on the
designed, manufactured frequency range can be Transporter 2 mission with
and tested the radio beacon A new frequency range and
used. W-Cube’s dual 88 additional satellites. W-
system of W-Cube together additional capacity will be
frequency radio beacon Cube was placed into orbit
with Germany’s Fraunhofer needed already in the next
system sends a 75 GHz on July22, 2021, and the first
IAF. The satellite signal is few years when the number
signal through the Earth’s contact between the
measured at both the main of data communication
atmosphere to the satellite and the RSL
measuring station in Graz as satellites increases and big
measuring ground stations. ground station was
well as a corresponding flocks of satellites such as
established 22 to 23 July.
station at VTT in Espoo, Starlink operated by W-Cube was launched into
Finland. SpaceX are deployed. space on June 30, 2021, Source: smallsatnews.com

SpaceX Dragon Carries GITAI Robotic Arm to the ISS

A
space and the
SpaceX Dragon science experiments, crew The cargo Dragon was
demonstrations that this
cargo resupply supplies, and spacecraft launched on SpaceX’s 23rd
robotic arm will conduct will
spacecraft docked hardware. The ISS Commercial Resupply
be a key development for
with the International Space confirmed contact and Services (CRS) mission for
the company.
Station on Monday, carrying capture at 10:30 a.m. ET. NASA at 3:14 a.m. ET on
more than 4,800 pounds of Sunday on a Falcon 9 In addition, the Dragon
rocket from the Kennedy carried experiments that
Space Center in Florida. will research issues
including the effects of
The Dragon delivered a
microgravity and space
robotic arm developed by
radiation on the growth of
Japanese company GITAI.
bone tissue; vision
This robot will conduct
problems known as Space-
demonstrations of general
Associated Neuro-Ocular
purpose tasks in the
Syndrome (SANS); and
Nanoracks Bishop Airlock
stress in plant growth in
ISS module. GITAI is
microgravity conditions.
working to develop robots
that can perform tasks in Source: satellitetoday.com

The advantages to society and the economy are already present

and thrilling in the New Space Era.
The ITCA ushers in a new and exciting chapter in StudentSat's history.
Take part in the 75 Students’ Satellites Mission 2022.
http://75satellites.org/

24 TIP September 2021

 UNISEC

The UNISEC
Global Consortium of Universities for Space

Although there is still much work to be Ms. Rei Kawashima

UNISEC-Global was established done towards achieving the goal of Secretary General
in 2013 as an international non- realizing a world where access to good University Space Engineering
profit, non-governmental space education is not dependent on Consortium (UNISEC) Global
organization comprised of Local Japan
the geographical circumstance of
Chapters (LCs) around the world birth, as of August 2021, UNISEC-
which expands on the success Global now consists of 21 Local 2.1. CanSat Leader Training Program
of UNISEC-Japan in organizing a Chapters, with Points of Contact in 54 (CLTP)
consortium among Japanese countries/regions exploring the
universities promoting practical possibility to establish their own The CanSat Leader Training Program
regional UNISEC Local Chapter. (CLTP) is a capacity building program
space engineering activities.
in space engineering offered by
2. UNISEC-Global Activities UNISEC-Global. CLTP was established

W
in 2011 by UNISEC-Japan through a
Vision 2030-All may sound too
e started UNISEC-Global grant from the “Funding Program for
ambitious and not realistic at all, yet
activities with a desire World-Leading Innovative R&D on
history and facts indicate otherwise.
called “Vision 2020-100” Science and Technology” (FIRST
Only 20 years ago, very few people
which states: “By the end of 2020, let’s Program) enabled UNISEC-Japan to
believed that university students could
create a world where university spread its mission of “support, promote
design, build, launch, and operate and facilitate practical space projects
students can participate in practical
satellites, but we now commonly at university level” to other countries.
space projects in more than 100
observe university students, The program is led by UNISEC-Japan
countries.” Using this as a driving
sometimes even high school students, in cooperation with its member
principle towards achieving our vision,
working on satellite projects all around universities. UNISEC-Global acts as an
we have coordinated practical space
the globe. Thus, realizing our vision information switching board to
development activities such as;
could become achievable should our provides necessary information to its
forums, technical competitions, and
activities successfully spread among LCs and, in return, to UNISEC-Japan
training programs for university
students, researchers, professors, and
private/public sectors. Our primary Forum, Conferences,
objective is to help create a world Training Program Technical Competitions
where space science and technology
is used by individuals and institutions
HEPTASat Training UNISEC-Global Meeting, Mission
in every country, rich or poor for CanSat Leader Training Program Idea Contest, Nano-satellite
Symposium, CanSat Competition
peaceful purposes and for the benefit
of humankind .
Vision 2030
Debris Awareness and Solutions Support International
In 2017, UNISEC-Global was accepted Debris Mitigation Competition
as a permanent observer at the United
collaborative Space Projects
IAA Study Report: A Handbook for Post-Mission initiated by Member Universities
Nations Committee on the Peaceful
Disposal of Satellites less than 100kg
Uses of Outer Space (UNCOPUOS).
The key principle of 2030 Agenda
proposed by UN is “No one will be left universities of non-spacefaring nations. with possible candidates for CLTP.
behind.” Thus, “Vision 2020-100” was It is good news that there are higher Local Chapters are encouraged to
revised to “Vision 2030-All” which education organizations such as help organize their own CLTP in their
states: “By the end of 2030, let’s create universities in almost all countries. regions. The CLTP program has since
a world where university students can become affiliated to UNISEC-Global
participate in practical space projects Let me introduce how we are trying to upon establishment. CLTP was offered
in all countries.” realize the vision. in ten cycles in Japan until Aug 2019.

TIP September 2021 25

 feedback. In the 1st round free exchange of ideas,
of selection, ten finalists information and capabilities
were chosen. Finalists are related to space
required to submit a full engineering and space
paper and deliver a applications, with a specific
presentation to take place attention for young people
on November 13th, 2021. in developing and
emerging countries.
UNISEC-Global is
committed to contribution 3. UNISEC-Global Initiative
HEPTA-Sat training at CLTP where students adopt a systems
engineering approach
to Sustainable on Government Policies in
Development Goal 4 Support of Space
HEPTA-Sat, a newly function compared to larger (Education) and will Education
developed training tool, satellites, trade-offs have to continue to work on it in
This year initiated a project
which is analogous to a be carefully considered and deep space mission.
aiming to promote virtuous
CubeSat, has been choices should be made 2.3. UNISEC-Global governmental policies in
employed in CLTP instead not to compromise the Meeting support of space education.
of CanSat to make the mission objective. The Space Education is defined
training more effective challenge of a MIC provides The UNISEC-Global has
as any form teaching,
since 2017. Figure shows participants valuable facilitated an annual
training, or capacity
HEPTA-Sat training in CLTP experience in engineering meeting since 2013. It
building, at any relevant
held in August 2018. and design. Thirdly, a MIC provides a forum for
level. It includes formal
can function as a catalyst to technical competitions and
2.2. Mission Idea Contest education from primary,
make a difference in the organizes group discussion
secondary up to post-
Mission Idea Contest (MIC) real world. With a MIC sessions by forming several
graduate levels, as well as
was established in 2010 to opportunity, many groups based on topics.
vocational training, science
provide aerospace professional satellite Student sessions are
and technology
engineers, college engineers, including planned and managed by
communication to the
students, consultants, and students, can start to weigh international student
general public, in sum
anybody interested in up their options for realistic representatives. The
anything that can
space with opportunities to action to achieve their goals meeting is also a place to
contribute to raising
present their creative ideas using micro/nano satellites. discuss about current and
awareness on the critical
and gain international future Local Chapters.
As of 2021, MIC is in its 7th importance of space
attention. The primary goal technologies in our lives.
iteration which focused on Previous meetings have
of mission idea contest is to
deep space science and been held in Japan, It will mostly consist of two
open a door to a new facet
exploration with Bulgaria, Italy, and France research items:
of space exploration and
nano/micro satellites. It is so far with plans for the
utilisation. (1) collecting and analyzing
the first time that 2020 meeting to be held in
contestants are required to Istanbul, Turkey, but the existing policies worldwide
In past contests, we
design a deep space COVID-19 pandemic and acknowledging best
observed MIC’s positive
science and exploration situation forced us to practices, and (2) with our
aspects. Firstly, a MIC
mission. It is challenging for postpone it. However, the network of research
provides good training
those with no experience pandemic gave us a partners, devising and
opportunities as a capacity-
and knowledge of such chance to transform from proposing innovative
building program. As a MIC
missions to propose a an annual in-person policies in support to space
does not require significant
mission idea. Thus, we tried meeting to a monthly virtual education, from modest
financial resources,
to attract diverse meeting allowing us to ones requiring only
students can participate
participants, including non- provide a free and agency- or ministry-level
without hesitation. If they
space faring countries, by decisions, to more
are selected as a finalist accessible format, with
offering free online lectures. ambitious ones requiring
and cannot afford travel for prominent speakers,
Accordingly, two national parliamentary work.
their final presentation, they interactive activities, and
can also make a video competitions with deep updates on UNISEC- The concrete outcome of
presentation. Secondly, a space missions took place Global’s various chapters the project will be a report,
MIC offers a chance to in Thailand and Costa Rica worldwide. UNISEC-Global revised and published
involve professional to select the candidates for envisions to make space annually in order to monitor
researchers and scientists the MIC7. Also, a support science and technology the evolution of space
in mission design using group that consists of available to everyone education policies
micro/nano satellites. As a young researchers of deep around the world, through worldwide.
micro/nano satellite space exploration helped the development of an
provides limited power and the participants by giving environment promoting the

26 TIP September 2021

 UNIVERSITY SPACE ENGINEERING CONSORTIUM
(UNISEC)
Space for Every One! Era of Small Satellites! Students' Satellites!
Be a Part of the NewSpace Revolution!

Global Head Quarters at Japan For Indian Office Visit: https://unisec-india.in

http://www.unisec-global.org/
To become member download Application Form: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dREbZHsswWaP8zaDH2_PSh9wTwKB8vRu/view
 NEWS
Free Nanosatellite Launch
Arianespace announces Competition

A
rianespace Arianespace plans to
announced April 14, conduct more rideshare
2021 it is organizing a missions, either by filling
contest open to startups, excess capacity on a rocket
labs, and universities for a with small satellites or
free launch of a grouping large clusters of
nanosatellite on a future smallsats to share a launch.
rideshare mission, likely on
an Ariane 6 or Vega rocket. Europe’s next-generation
launcher, the Ariane 6, will
Arianespace contest is open also be capable of
to startup companies, rideshare missions.
research labs, and Scheduled to fly for the first
educational institutions. time in 2022, the Ariane 6
Agency and NASA also French Guiana last will haul much heavier
Other rocket companies, cargo to orbit than the light-
have programs where the September on a Vega
such as United Launch class Vega launcher,
agencies pay for the launch rocket. The Vega rocket
Alliance and Firefly including missions targeting
of experimental university- debuted a new carrying
Aerospace, have held higher altitudes.
built CubeSats. structure to accommodate
similar competitions to
53 satellites on a single
launch educational and The company’s first mission, a record for a
research payloads for free. dedicated rideshare European space mission. Source: spaceflightnow.com
The European Space mission launched from

StudentSats - The Future

Transforming Engineering Education

S
tudent-built space having direct control over with significant universities, we can expect
missions have been the progress of the improvements in costs, significant improvement in
successful in program. schedules. performance the quality of students
providing students an and risk management. entering the industrial
From the initial beginnings
opportunity to launch small workforce and increasing
in 1999 at Stanford Students by working in a
satellites within small contributions to developing
University, USA the multidisciplinary team
budgets. A significant engineering solutions with
CubeSat program has environment have been
outcome of such missions focus on frugal engineering
become a global program able to sharpen their skills
is the multi-disciplinary design solutions for
integrating over 500 entities in problem solving, project
learning framework that complex systems.
including 150+ universities, management, effective
prepares students for a
government organizations team communication and
future career in industry
and private-sector development of
through hands-on, project-
enterprises. With the entrepreneurial mindset;
based education.
CubeSat program having thereby helping them to
These missions are unique been designed to realize become contributing
in that students have space missions in a time engineers very early on in
performed substantial and span of two years or less, their careers.
meaningful portion of tasks students have been able to
in design, integration and hone their engineering With the student satellite
testing activities, and flight competencies while activity catching on in many
Image Source: nanosats.eu
operations with students delivering space missions top-tier and second-tier

28 TIP September 2021

 Thought Leader’s
Perspective

Evolution of Small Satellites -

M. Venkatarao
C.S. Prasad
R.K. Rajangam

Technology Trends Planet Aerospace

Bengaluru

better and cheaper attributes of small

Until about two decades ago, Space Science and Technology was an unexplored
satellites and started deployment of
area for many in the world and was confined to a few nations and communities till
large constellations for well-targeted
the emergence of Small Satellite Technology. With the advent of ‘miniaturisation’
applications such as Earth observation
in electronics coupled with advanced software tools, industry started producing
and communications in the civil,
smart phones, tablets/computers, mass storage devices and autonomous
military, and commercial domains.
automobiles etc. As an off-shoot of this development, highly reliable and mass
Today, imaging of earth resources at
produced commercial-of-the-shelf (COTS) electronic components / Micro-
high resolution (< 5 m) with a repeat
Electro-Mechanical-Systems (MEMS) devices became available at affordable coverage of few hours by deploying a
cost. This, in turn, led to the idea of developing small satellites by students / fleet of 3U CubeSats and associated
academic institutions and later by industry as well. ground infrastructure is made possible
by Planet Labs and others. Similarly,
huge constellations of small satellites
(< 400 kg) are being launched into low

E
ver since its evolution in 1999, earth orbits (LEO) by SpaceX, OneWeb,
Ÿ Geodetic / Location Services
CubeSats have become very Telesat and many others to provide
Ÿ Planetary Missions high throughput and low latency
popular with universities to
design, develop and launch small Student / University Satellites: direct-to-home (DTH) communication
satellites. A CubeSat is a nano satellite services (of course, at the cost of
In India, small satellite programme was increasing space debris and
of size 10 x 10 x 10 Cm3with a mass of
launched by ISRO in 2002 with the obstructing astrophysical observations
1.33 kg usually referred to as 1U. It is
main objective of encouraging student !!!). The small satellite business is
based on a modular design and can
community to participate in the space expected to yield a revenue of over US
be stacked together into multiple units
related activities by wetting their hands $ 3200 million by 2028.
(2U, 3U ...) up to about 16U. The
in satellite design and development.
CubeSat proved to be a disruptive Technology Trends in Small Satellites
More than ten nano satellites were
development in space technology
launched by various universities and
since it enabled students, research The driving force behind this explosive
IITs and many more are expected in
scholars, space enthusiasts, deployment of small satellites is
future. ISRO supported this
institutions and industry to realise and twofold – user demands coupled with
programme by providing technical
launch about 1350 of them in a matter technology developments. To begin
guidance to students as well as free
of two decades. with, small satellites in general and
launch service as a piggyback
nano / micro satellites in particular are
While many small satellites were payload. Planet Aerospace, an
severely constrained by their size,
initially developed and deployed for association of scientists / engineers
weight and power which in turn
demonstration of some scientific / retired from
imposes limitations on the payload
technology experiments with limited
ISRO is training students from configuration for a given mission. Major
mission life, they are now increasingly
University / Engineering colleges by constraints are in terms of
finding a role in operational
conducting workshops on nano
applications/services like
satellites, thereby contributing to the Ÿ Low Power Availability
Ÿ Automatic Identification of Ships capacity building in space technology. Ÿ Reduced attitude pointing
(AIS) Small Satellites by Industry: accuracy and platform stability
Ÿ Automatic Dependent Surveillance Based on the success story of small Ÿ Lower Data handling capability
– Broadcast (ADS-B) satellites built by students and Ÿ Use of Low Frequency (UHF/VHF)
Ÿ Earth Observation and more academic institutions for their scientific for Communication
Frequent Detection of Changes studies and ably supported by the Ÿ Lack of Propulsion System for Orbit
availability of reliable COTS Corrections
Ÿ Mobile Communications / IOT
technology, market forces started a
Ÿ Atmospheric / Environmental new gold rush in space. Industry soon Ÿ Small Antennae
Observations realised the advantages of faster, Ÿ Space Debris

TIP September 2021 29

Small satellites identified for and power constraints. Ku and Ka bands. g) Space Debris: One major
operational services, However, this becomes a Developments in Monolithic disadvantage of small
particularly in necessity when such small microwave integrated satellites is that they end up
constellations, have to be satellites are used in as large space debris at the
designed overcoming the formations. A few micro- end of their missions.
above limitations to provide thrusters for propulsion are Unless they are effectively
high-quality, long-life available at high cost. There deorbited, small satellites
missions. This necessitated is ample scope to develop will create more harm than
not only the development low weight, low power good in the long run.
of new technologies but chemical and electric (Picture credit: Cubesatshop.com) Therefore, worldwide
also ancillary industry to micro-thrusters which can Mini Reaction Wheel attention is placed on
produce them in large greatly benefit small developing various means
numbers to meet the global satellites. circuit (MMIC) technology, of deorbiting satellites.
demand. Some of these phased array antennas and Passive systems employing
d) On-Board computer other RF components have
technologies are drag shields, sails, tethers
(OBC): Demands for on- enabled the use of these
highlighted below. as well as active systems
board autonomy, intelligent frequency bands. employing thrusters,
a) Miniature Star Trackers: telemetry and on-board Implementation of very capture devices etc. are at
Star trackers provide much data processing etc, have high data transmission rates an advanced stage of
better accuracy for attitude led to development of using laser communication development.
measurements compared powerful processors with systems will enhance the
to Earth and Sun sensors. increased computing Technology Evolution in
But their size, mass and capabilities. Processors with Small Satellites
power were quite high (> built-in memory, various
In the early phase, small
2kg) for accommodation in interface bus compatibility
satellites were mainly used
small satellites. With the (USB, I2C), reliable software,
as platforms for learning
availability of small size low power consumption
and technology
optics of good image and small size are available
(Picture credit: Enpulsion Spacecraft Technology) demonstration. Payloads
quality and two- in a wide choice (few
Micro-propulsion System performed simple
dimensional active pixel examples – ARM Cortex
operations such as
sensor arrays with small M7, AMD-G series SOC, use of small satellites for transmission of a beacon,
pixel dimensions (< 5 μm) STM32). Going forward, communication. This storing data or transmitting
miniaturised star trackers (< artificial intelligence requires high levels of data collected by simple
0.5 kg) have been enabled OBCs with precision so that the sensors at very low data
developed and are satellite’s laser beam is rate (1 to 9.6kbps) in
commercially available. perfectly aligned with the VHF/UHF bands using wire
b) Miniature Wheels: receiver located on Earth, antennae.
Nanosats and CubeSats while in low earth orbits at a
speed of around 7.8 km/s. In recent times, the use of
use magnetic torquer coils
higher frequencies as S-
as actuators for their f) Deployable Antennas:
Band (mainly for telemetry)
attitude control with Foldable parabolic
and X-Band (for data
magnetometer error inputs. antennas make it possible
transmission) has become
This type of system can to launch small satellites
widely available thanks to
provide attitude control with stowed antennas
(Picture credit:Leonardo Finmeccanica S.P.A.) the advent of commercially
accuracy of the order of 0.5 which can be deployed in
Mini Star Tracker available Monolithic
– 1.0 deg. To improve this space. These greatly
Microwave Integrated
accuracy to better than 0.5 programmable software are improve communications
deg, miniature reaction / Circuits (MMICs). The shift
expected to increase the and bring capability of small
momentum wheels of small towards higher- frequency
power of OBCs. satellites on par with larger
torque (1-5mN-m) are now bands implies other
e) High Speed Data satellites. While in- orbit
available commercially. requirements on the
Transmission: Applications deployable antennas of few
spacecraft design, such as
c) Micro-propulsion like earth observation at meters in size with high
the power system and the
System: Many of the higher resolutions, and low profile accuracy have been
antennas.
currently used nanosats earth orbit communications developed for small
and CubeSats are not demand high volume data satellites, there is plenty of The need of higher data
equipped with propulsion rate transmission which in scope for improvement rates, low cost, and small
systems for their orbit turn need to employ high including use of miniature size has also moved the
control because of weight frequency bands like S, X, phased array antennas. attention towards Free-

30 TIP September 2021

Space Optical (FSO) implementation is moving (I) They are increasingly carry one billion terabytes
communications, especially more towards the software used to form of internet data per month;
for inter-satellite links. With implementation and the application-focused SpaceX corporation’s
the use of laser concept of Software segments of the Starlink constellation that is
communication terminals in Defined Radio (SDR). For infrastructure supporting envisioned to comprise up
systems like the European small satellites, which are existing communication to 12,000 small satellites in
Data Relay System (EDRS) designed with few years of architectures, notably low earth orbit, with the
for inter-satellite links, the lifetime in mind, the reason the internet. capacity to carry up to 10%
technology has passed the for moving towards SDR (ii) They also form and/or of local internet traffic in
payloads is mainly related utilize altogether new, densely populated areas.
barrier from research to the
to the flexibility to adapt to distinct communication
operational application. Along with technology
new science opportunities architectures
Even optical links from the evolution, there have been
and potentially reducing
Moon to Earth have been The use of Earth-orbiting marked changes in the
development cost and risk
demonstrated. In the near through reuse of common satellites to conduct application of small
future, optical space platforms to meet internet traffic is not new. satellites. Besides
communication systems for specific mission What is new is the use of conventional applications
small satellites are likely to requirements. SDR can be large numbers of small such as earth observation,
be commercially available. used to support multiple satellites for this purpose. communications, space
signals, increase data rates The field has grown rapidly science etc., innovative
Since the early days of in recent years as new
over reliable inter-satellite business applications like
small satellites, the trend concepts are proposed,
links to Earth, and also help advertising from space -
has been to use low-cost many of them highly
in facing the shortage of projection of commercial
COTS components in ambitious like the OneWeb
available frequencies for messages in the night sky
system hardware together constellation which is
communications in the with the help of CubeSats,
with digital implementation. initially expected to
more crowded bands. recovery of useful parts of
Thanks to the availability of comprise 882 small internet
Small satellites are also de-orbited satellites are
modern high-speed, low- service delivery satellites in
power digital signal playing an increasingly also being thought of.
low earth orbit, potentially
processors and high-speed important role in growing to 2620 satellites; Overall, small satellites are
memories, the trade-off telecommunication Samsung’s proposal of a poised to greatly influence
between the architecture in two main 4600-satellite constellation, our lives in the coming
hardware/software ways: projected to be able to years.

FIVE ways SpaceTech

S
atellites and other space warming indicators, with more than
can help protect technologies could be used to
help mitigate the effects of
half of essential climate variables only
measurable from space, according to
the planet climate change, as well as protect
both animals and communities.
the World Economic Forum.

But the technology could do more.

Satellite technology has long been Here are five ways space tech can
used to predict the weather, with help improve life on Earth.
meteorological forecasts able to act as
early warning systems for extreme 1 Frontier technologies to tackle
weather events. climate change

The technology is also key for 2 Satellites to track weather

documenting environmental changes patterns
and informing decision making by 3 AI cameras to monitor wildlife
measuring sea levels, atmospheric crime
gases and the planet’s changing
temperature, among other factors. 4 Sensors to track animals

There are currently more than 160 5 Satellite images transformed into
satellites measuring different global data for farmers
Source: weforum.org

TIP September 2021 31

 NEWS
India's First Government School
in Karnataka to Launch Cube Satellite

T
he Government students from a few
Boys High School in government schools. This
Malleswaram, project takes inspiration
Bengaluru will be launching from the Prime Minister
a student-built satellite in Shri Narendra Modi’s
August 2022, and with this, concept of Gaganyaan
will position itself as the first Space Mission.
government high school in
India to develop a satellite. Indian Technology
Congress Association (ITCA)
Karnataka's Minister of would facilitate mentoring
Science and Technology, the student teams as part
Dr. C N AshwathNarayan of the 75 Student’s
while announcing this at Satellites Consortium:
Bengaluru on 8 July 2021 Mission 2022 with the Indian
elaborated that designing Space Research
and manufacturing the Organization (ISRO)
satellite would be done at supporting the launch of
the school by involving the satellite.

Small Satellites Market Size

To Witness Double-Digit Growth in Next Five Years -
A New Study from Stratview Research

I
ndustry analyst, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and characterized by shorter technological innovations.
Stratview Research has Rest of the World), and by development team and
announced the launch of Region (North America, cycles; and can be The report notes that
a new research report on Europe, Asia-Pacific, and developed and launched at SpaceX's robust plan of
Small Satellites Market. Rest of the World), a lower cost in comparison launching about 12,000
Segmenting the market by Stratview Research has to traditional large satellites. satellites in the Starlink
Type (Minisatellite, comprehensively analysed Development in constellation, of which half
Microsatellite, today's small satellites computational technology of them are targeted to be
Nanosatellite, and market realities and and data analytics have launched by end of 2024, is
Picosatellite), by Application assessed the future market driven the miniaturization of signalling a highly
Type (Earth Observation, possibilities for the forecast satellite systems, and the optimistic near-term
Technology Development, period of 2021 to 2026. number of small satellites outlook for the industry,
Communications, and launched in the past few especially of small satellite
Scientific), by Operator Type Defining the small satellites years has surged ones.
(Commercial, Government, category as miniaturized substantially owing to its
Civil, and Military), and by satellites having a wet mass low cost, easier launch Source:
Region (North America, of under 500 KG are vehicle integration, and stratviewresearch.com

32 TIP September 2021

 Global
Practitioner

New Space Exploration

and Opportunities
Dr. Jayakumar Venkatesan
CEO, Valles Marineris International
and Visionary, Upgreat Technology
Contests (RVC, Skolkova Foundation,
ASI) Russia

Prize Foundation, and sponsored by Human Spaceflight Programme

Pic credit: Synergy Moon,USA Lunar Spacecraft Google. The challenge called for
privately funded teams to be the first In General Human spaceflight (also
to land a lunar rover on the Moon, referred to as manned spaceflight or
Journey of Valles Marineris International travel 500 meters, and transmit back crewed spaceflight) is spaceflight with
in the New Space Era to Earth high-definition video and a crew or passengers aboard a
images spacecraft, the spacecraft being

W
operated directly by the onboard
ith the launch of Sputnik in
Jayakumar Venkatesan took the human crew. Spacecraft can also be
1957 and the subsequent
responsibility as Chief Technology remotely operated from ground
beginning of the space
Officer to design and develop the stations on Earth, or autonomously,
age, the progression of Space
spacecraft systems according to the without any direct human involvement.
Technologies has, on the one hand,
competition guidelines. The People trained for spaceflight are
led to the development of hundreds of
Competition guidelines required the called astronauts, cosmonauts, or
applications that use satellite data,
rover to travel 500 metres and transmit taikonauts; and non-professionals are
including devices for everyday use,
images, video, data, an sms and an referred to as spaceflight participants.
from satellite televisions to the Satnav
email back to Earth. With working The first human in space was Soviet
in our cars. On the other, it has
underpinned scientific progress in groups on in over 15 countries and on cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, who
Earth and Atmospheric Sciences as 6 continents, Team Synergy Moon launched on 12 April 1961 as part of the
well as in Astronomy and Astrophysics. promotes international cooperation in Soviet Union's Vostok program.
Just to recall some of the highest space exploration and development. Humans traveled to the Moon nine
public profile contributions from the times between 1968 and 1972 as part
Teams had until 31 March 2018 to of the United States' Apollo program,
field, satellite measurements showed
launch their missions. On 23 January and have had a continuous presence
the extent of the ozone layer depletion
2018, the X Prize Foundation in space for 20 years and 307 days on
in the atmosphere and the existence of
announced that "no team would be the International Space Station (ISS)As
exoplanets and black holes have been
able to make a launch attempt to of 2021, humans have not traveled
confirmed, among many other
reach the Moon by the [31 March 2018] beyond low Earth Orbit since the
scientific advances. The rapid progress
made in Space Technology led to deadline... and the US$30 million Apollo 17 lunar mission in December
extraordinary accomplishments for the Google Lunar XPrize will go unclaimed. 1972.
whole human race, such as the Moon Synergy Moon reported in February
2018 that they are negotiating with Currently, the United States, Russia,
landing.
Team Indus to possibly launch their and China are the only countries with
Valles Marineris International was took Landers together, aiming for a launch public or commercial human
part in $30 Million Google Lunar in 2019. spaceflight-capable programs. Non-
Xprize Challenge as partner with governmental spaceflight companies
Synergy Moon to explore the Moon. Valles Marineris International still have been working to develop human
The Google Lunar XPRIZE (GLXP), continues moon landing programme space programs of their own, e.g. for
sometimes referred to as Moon 2.0, along with former Google Lunar Xprize space tourism or commercial in-space
was a 2007–2018 inducement prize Participants to fulfill the dreams of research. The first private human
space competition organized by the X everyone. spaceflight launch was a suborbital

TIP September 2021 33

flight on SpaceShipOne on that learners can feel the assembly of tissue and rapid, label-free 3-D
June 21, 2004. The first spacewalk and visualize the organ constructions of biofabrication of 3-D tissue
commercial orbital crew space environment. tissue spheroids in 3-D and organ constructs in the
launch was by SpaceX in space without solid condition of microgravity by
May 2020, transporting, Microgravity Research in scaffolds. Formative using magnetic fields.
under United States ISS and Three-dimensional fabrication and Meanwhile, a sophisticated
government contract, Bioprinting in Space programmable self- holistic cuvette system for
NASA astronauts to the ISS. assembly are revolutionary delivering living objects to
Valles Marineris
manufacturing and the ISS, performing
Recently ISRO human International made co-
biofabrication technologies biofabrication, and
Spaceflight programme operation to organize the
of the 21st century. Today, transferring bioprinted
Gaganyaan was international space station
there are three main 3-D constructs back to Earth
announced. The Gaganyaan experiments. Valles
bioprinting technologies: has been developed.
is an Indian crewed orbital Marineris International
extrusion, inkjet and laser-
spacecraft intended to be encouraging the space Rapid biofabrication of 3-D
based bioprinting. These
the formative spacecraft of industry professional to organ constructs of thyroid
methods have common
the Indian Human conduct the science gland and cartilage using
limitations such as slow
experiments in ISS. tissue spheroids (i.e.,
speed and the inability to
create 3-D constructs with thyreospheres and
Nanotechnology
complex geometry. chondrospheres) in the
development allows for the
Therefore, new approaches conditions of natural space
management of living cells,
such as acoustic or microgravity will be
tissue spheroids and
magnetic bioprinting using launched during space
synthetic microscaffolds by
Soyuz Spacecraft Training patterned physical fields for experiments. After the
using magnetic fields. This,
Simulators for Space Enthusiasts
predictable cells spreading return of bioprinted
in turn, leads to attempts to
will evolve. constructs to Earth,
create magnetic bioprinters.
Spaceflight Programme. histological tests will be
The spacecraft is being However, the first attempts The main idea is to use conducted to examine the
designed to carry three to create magnetic microgravity as a co-factor internal structure.
people, and a planned bioprinters showed that of bioprinting technology.
upgraded version will be This concept means using a The 3-D bioprinter will
terrestrial gravitation
equipped with rendezvous scaffold-free, nozzle-free become a part of ISS
represents a significant
and docking capability. and label-free (i.e., without scientific equipment for
limitation. It is reasonable to
using magnetic conducting further
assume that in a gravity-
Valles Marineris nanoparticles) approach international experiments
free environment, magnetic
International made called formative by any scientific groups and
and diamagnetic levitation
partnership with Russian biofabrication, which has companies interested in 3-
will allow not only so-called
Partner , Who is building the edge over classical D bioprinting technology.
“formative” biofabrication of
the soyuz manned bottom-up additive That means we are
three-dimensional (3-D)
spacecraft training manufacturing. This developing a novel shared
tissue constructions, but
simulators for professional technology could be research infrastructure for
even programmable self-
cosmonaut training. Valles commonly used for space unique biomedical research
assembly of 3-D tissue
Marineris International radiation studies to provide on the ISS.
constructions in a
ready to offer the crew long-term crewed space
controlled magnetic field.
training for professional Analog Astronaut Training
The space magnetic 3-D flights, including the moon
cosmonauts and amateur and Mars programs.
bioprinter, which can Valles Marineris
learning experience of
manage tissue spheroids in International made
manned spacecraft training
microgravity, is a practical partnership withAnalog
simulators. We also have
implementation of the new Astronaut Training
Soyuz Spacecraft
perspective concept of Center,Poland. It is a private
Simulators for children’s
formative biofabrication. company, which
age 8 years above. This can
Microgravity biofabrication accelerates human
provide learning experience 3D Magnetic Biorpinter, experimented
on the basis of magnetic by Russian Cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko spaceflight scientific
for the children’s. It will be
forces transforms the studies. AATC was created
to learning edutainment
technology of 3-D 3D Bioprinting Solutions by former European Space
platform.
bioprinting and opens real developed a novel space 3- Agency professionals:
We are also offering AR/VR opportunities for D bioprinter (see image engineer and scientist. In
spacewalk experience, so programmable self- below), which will enable 2018, the company

34 TIP September 2021

 AATC organizes rocket sector. Simulator, Medical Training,
workshops, stratospheric Stratospheric
Valles Marineris Science,Space Facilities
missions and scientific lunar
International offer training and Training Centers, and
and martian analog
activities in the field of the Advanced Medical
simulations. In 2021 the
studies like Aerodynamic Trainings. Also offering
company has reached 32
Tunnel, Skydiving, TCCC, analog astronaut training
successfully organized
HUET Szczecin, HUET programme year around
analog simulations, what
Gdynia, Hyperbaric the batches.
positions Poland on the top
3D Bio Printer Chamber, WIML Centrifuge,
in Europe considering the Satellite Antenna for All
Stratospheric Balloon
number of organized your Mission Needs
established a laboratory to Aerobatic, Powered Planes,
expeditions. Most of trained Valles Marineris
simulate space Glider Planes, Rescue Diver,
analog astronauts continue International, the authorized
environment for scientific Moon Rocks at Speyer,
their career in the space the distributor of all types of
experiments focused on Buran at Speyer, Flight
space biology and satellite antennas for your
medicine. The facility is space missions. A new
located in Rzepiennik, generation of miniature and
South of Poland. It high-performance antennas
specialises in operational designed according to
trainings for scientists, space standards as an
engineers, space answer to the satellites
enthusiasts and future constellations market’s
astronaut candidates. needs.
Beside scientific projects, More Details:
co-supervision of engineer- www.vallesmarineris.in
master and doctoral theses, [email protected]

Indian National Space Promotion

Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe)
T
he Indian existing required authorising and regulating
government infrastructure.IN-SPACe is private-sector space
established a new an autonomous nodal operations and creating a
entity called the Indian agency within the fair playing field for both
National Space Promotion Department of Space (DoS) start-ups and commercial Dr Pawan Kumar Goenka
and Authorization Centre responsible for authorising corporations. The range of is the first
IN-SPACe's Chairperson
(IN-SPACe). IN-SPACe is a NGPEs to conduct space activities would include the
Single-window Nodal operations, use DOS- construction of standard Dr Pawan Kumar Goenka,
Agency created to owned facilities, and satellites, rockets, and Former Managing Director
accelerate the prioritises the launch commercial launch Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd,
commercialisation of Indian manifest. services. is one of India’s leading
space operations. As a An ISRO-industry interface ISRO will also identify areas Industrialists.
companion to the ISRO, the system would be created to in which companies would
agency's mission is to Dr Goenka's groundbreaking
provide easy contact with face problems in new
encourage Non- work in engine tribology has
companies and assist them technological sectors. The
Governmental Private garnered him international
in developing new government will promote
Entities (NGPEs) to enter recognition. His 20-year-old
technologies. In addition, the shortlisted ideas for methods for analysing
the Indian space industry. In ISRO will use this method to partial funding through
addition, the agency would engine bearing and friction
share its knowledge on established channels. This are still utilised as a
encourage a speedier quality and reliability method will also be used to
introduction of private standard reference in car
processes, documentation, announce possibilities for engineering. He is also an
participants in the sector by testing techniques, etc. selected research and
encouraging policies in a expert in car pollution
exploration missions to reduction and alternative
favourable regulatory The Indian government
commercial businesses. fuels.
environment and sharing makes choices on
Source: Isro.gov.in
TIP September 2021 35
 End-User
Thoughts

SmallSats for Social Good

D V Naghabhushan
Former Chairman
Agriculture Division Board
A Forward-thinking Perspective The Institution of Engineers (India)

S
pace-based services have actionable insights into crop diseases, highly vital for saving citizens and
become a fundamental part of insect infestations, bare soil, protecting property in times of
the citizens' daily routine. The phosphorus and nitrogen content, and disasters. Furthermore, in the
estimated 3000 active satellites in quickly take steps as the situation unfortunate event of terrestrial
space generate massive data that warrants. Such variable rate communication services getting
support the global economy, national technology, as this practice is called, disrupted, space-based services
security, transportation and avoids the over-application of provide an alternative method to
infrastructure systems and promote pesticides and nutrients. maintain the connection with the
effective decision-making. It is only impacted citizens and ensure focused
Satellite data plays a vital role in
expected to become more pervasive relief measures are taken by the
supporting government actions by
as more countries and more government without losing time.
integrating interventions by
organizations launch and operate Furthermore, satellites have
governments and their departments,
satellites. In addition, industry analysts repeatedly been shown to ensure that
universities, and non-governmental
predict that more than 50,000 small rescue teams have current and up-to-
organizations to develop cohesive and
satellites would be launched globally date information on effective methods
holistic public policy to address food
by 2030, deepening humanity's use of to rapidly reach the disaster-hit region
security.
space and space-based assets. and offer reliable data on the state of
Weather satellites can minimize infrastructure elements within hours or
Space technologies have been a key hazards for fishermen, while GPS minutes of an occurrence.
influencer in driving innovations in functionality enhances accuracy and
agriculture, heralding an era of precision for navigation and Space applications play a critical role
precision agriculture. For example, maximizing fishing yields by observing in education dissemination. Online and
remote-sensing satellites have oceanographic data influencing fish E-education initiatives can benefit from
provided vital data for monitoring the movements such as sea surface satellite telecommunications. Public-
health of the soil and crops, tracking temperature, ocean colour, and other private partnerships must be
drought conditions, estimating fertilizer parameters. developed so that online education's
needs, planning the timing and
Satellite services are increasingly last-mile reach in rural areas is given
irrigation required for crops, and
being used to monitor the weather and the priority it deserves. The
overseeing crop development and
predict changes to the Earth's climate governments, the institutions including
yields. In addition, the proliferation of
and atmosphere. Accurate and timely agricultural universities are key
access to geospatial data, availability
weather forecasts are significant data stakeholders, The space industry
of analysis-ready agricultural thematic
assets for governments to proactively along with the Indian Space Research
geospatial data products, and the
anticipate and prepare for disasters; Organization, and the New Space
lower cost of geospatial information
while successfully protecting citizens' entities like the ITCA, TIMISAT, TSC
technology facilities have stimulated
lives, property and infrastructure. In Technologies and other start-ups are
the ubiquitous deployment of space-
addition, enterprises can effectively working to progress the development
enabled farming products and
use weather data to protect supply of constellations of commercial
services across the country.
chains, plan production and mitigate satellites to address societal
Technology exists for farmers to use risks. applications which are highly crucial
soil-sampling machinery outfitted with for holistic national development and
GPS receivers to assess soil and gain Space-based services have become progress.

TIP September 2021 37

 NEWS
Bharti Group-backed OneWeb
Launches 34 Satellites

O
neWeb, the Low service this year and deliver take its satellites into
Earth Orbit (LEO) global service in 2022. commercial service.
satellite
The move highlights the "OneWeb remains on track
communications company
business momentum as the to deliver global service in
backed by Bharti, has
company prepares to 2022 and is seeing growing
announced the launch of 34
introduce commercial demand from
satellites by Arianespace
service and focus on telecommunications
from the Baikonur
scaling to global service. providers, ISPs, and
Cosmodrome in southern governments worldwide to partnerships across various
Kazakhstan. The satellites would form industries and businesses,
offer its low-latency, high-
part of OneWeb's 648 LEO most recently with
speed connectivity services
The latest launch brings the satellite fleet that aim to Northwestel in Canada and
to the hardest to reach
company's total in-orbit deliver high-speed, low- BT in the UK.
places," .
constellation to 288 latency global connectivity.
satellites. OneWeb said it is OneWeb is fully-funded to Since early 2021, OneWeb Source: yourstory.com
on track to commence deliver its constellation and has announced distribution

Future Launch Landscape

Upcoming Wave of Demand and Customer Requirements Push Changes

Business Development for Tiphaine Louradour,

Relativity Space, including president of International
billions of dollars for Launch Services, said
constellations. “On the customers have a greater
launch side, an investor variety of mission
community is looking for requirements now than in
something more capable. the past.
And there are more rockets “There is a combination of
today than at any time in mainstream providers and
history.” then new entrants driving
funding that space launch
The growth that the satellite

A
companies have seen,”
new type of space logistics train constantly industry is experiencing is
Louradour said. “We are
logistics is coming going back and forth with not about bigger satellites,
seeing an increase in the
with the expansion consumables,” Bruno said. but a greater volume of
variety of mission
of space exploration, said “That will be very satellites, said Jim Simpson,
requirements and mission
Tory Bruno, CEO of United interesting.” chief strategy officer for
orbits, which means
Launch Alliance (ULA). Virgin Orbit. “The
requiring flexibility and
“When they put twice as These new ideas are capabilities we’re seeing
reliability in launch services
many people in the attracting more and more now we weren’t even
as keys to good customer
[International] Space Station investors. There has been seeing two years ago,” he
service.”
and around the Moon, and massive growth in said. “Now we are seeing
investments, said Josh satellites the size of a Source:
then on the surface of the
Brost, vice president of grilled cheese sandwich.” interactive.satellitetoday.com
Moon, there will be a

38 TIP September 2021

 Global
Practitioner

A Standardized Picosatellite
G. Morelli
H.C. Karakus
S. Mukherjee
R. Casesa

Experience G. Parissenti
GP Advanced
Projects srl,
Italy
FEES from preliminary design to in-orbit operations

Over the past couple of decades, the exponential growth of building More specifically, the FEES’ mission
concept was born in 2016 and
satellites leads us towards the interesting innovation of space technology:
developed ever since: its objectives
as the aerospace industry is facing a quick expansion, Cubesats and related
include the in-orbit qualification of an
“small” projects are getting more frequent. Generally, programs that regard
ADCS architecture (e.g. PCB
space missions can be referred to as “long-term”, though Cubesats
embedded magnetorquers), an EPS
missions are relatively facilitated in terms of necessities: standardization which includes a commercial battery
plays an important role in this respect, yet flight heritage and experience powered by innovative solar panels,
are indeed precious elements when it comes to improving results and some of which are experimental and
saving resources. now space-validated, and a fully
equipped TT&C system able to

G
operate at several transmission
P Advanced Projects is an managers, based in Brescia, at the
protocols and frequency bands (430-
innovative SME active in both crossroad between Milan and Venice.
440 MHz, 1260-1270 MHz) by using
production and management
Flexible Experimental Embedded FSK and LoRa modulations. Further
of space projects. The company has
Satellite (FEES) is the first satellite goals include IRIDIUM inter-satellite
qualified its proprietary pico-satellite
launched by GP Advanced Projects communication, Earth imaging and
platform able to perform IoD/IoV and an active mission in low earth orbit measurement of the mission dose
activities in LEO, which allowed further (LEO) (sun-synchronous ~550 km, thanks to an innovative radiation
growth toward technology readiness 97.4º), consisting of a 1/3U pico- experiment called RadEx2.
and development. In addition, thanks platform compliant with the Cubesat
to its experience in project & standard, which includes all the main The satellite has been developed with
innovation management, GP Advanced systems and subsystems necessary a qualification-acceptance model
Projects enabled different non-space for a spacecraft of this kind: its main philosophy, which involves the
companies and institutions entering objective is the validation of an implementation of a Qualification
the space sector; the company is also experimental model for in-orbit testing Model to perform all the possible tests
actively engaged in scientific projects of components for space. By and consolidate the design, and a
for both ESA and NASA. All of this, has accomplishing the mission, it aims to Flight Model, which has only gone
been made possible by a passionate act as a low-cost platform for further through the required validation
team of young engineers and payload validation testing. process before flight.

TIP September 2021 39

Baikonur onboard a Soyuz- KHz, Spreading factor (data headquarters and includes mission and expected to be
2 launch vehicle operated rate): 9, Error correction commercial and in-house- exploited for PiCo.
by GKLS, as piggyback of code rate: 1, Preamble developed systems: it
UNISAT-7 satellite property length: 5, Symbol timeout: PiCo is the flagship project
consists of two main
of G.A.U.S.S. srl, which 5, Symbol hop: 4) and FSK of GP Advanced Project,
antennas (UHF and VHF)
released it in a LEO Sun- signals (Frequency with the goal of realizing
connected to radio
Synchronous Orbit (SSO) at deviation: 2500, Data rate: the first private
amplifiers for
550 km on 25th March, 9600, Modulation band nanosatellite constellation,
telecommunication link
22:10 UTC. Its very first width: 50000, Expected to offer an IoT data retrieval
with the orbiting satellites,
beacon signal has been preamble length: 3) parted service available all over
and additional antennas for
received at 23:45 UTC the by 1 minute; it is also the world. It stems from the
monitoring the health of the
same night. supported by the TinyGS miniaturization capabilities
sent and received
open network of FEES and consists of a
messages. Due to specific
Implementing commercial (https://tinygs.com/satellite constellation of 1/3U
power requirements
off-the-shelf (COTS) Cubesats which is able to
components in a Cubesat retrieve data in VHF band,
design is often a valuable providing key information
choice: special attention especially in the agriculture,
should be paid to batteries, oil & gas and wildlife
which introduce can easily industries. The small size
cause damage from testing makes PiCo satellites
and be considered suitable to build a
hazardous. On the contrary, competitive constellation of
components’ bakeout rarely about 100 satellites, but can
results in outgassing. It is also be launched in a lower
crucial to establish number (minimum 9) for
integration procedures for customers requiring their
sensible components and own nanosatellite quick
even more is to test deploy-low cost
systems and subsystems constellation, arranged in
functionalities as soon and dedicated missions. PiCo
carefully as possible to aims to reach any potential
correct eventual mistakes. user with affordable and
Licensing and paperwork simple terminals, helping to
usually take much to come generate positive impacts
into effect and are towards the UN sustainable
compulsory, especially for development goals. To do
radio frequency allocation. so, a second demonstrator
called FEES2 has been
Moreover, it is vital to have a developed very similarly to
functioning ground station its predecessor, with an
by the time a Cubesat is put additional integrated VHF
into orbit: failure to secure radio module, ready to be
link communication with a launched from the ISS in Q1
spacecraft upon 2022.
detachment might /FEES), where its dictated by LoRa utilization
For further information
jeopardize the entire messages are reported and especially related to
www.gpadvancedprojects.com
mission. Testing ground publicly. Typically, the signal amplification, some
[email protected]
might consist of battery status is around 3.7 modules had to be
radioamateur satellites V and the messages are developed in-house rather
which are in orbit and easily received with -120 RSSI and than procured. The main
available, of which FEES is -15 SNR, considering a antennas follow the
an example. 0.5W radio output power. Its satellites’ orbits by means
NORAD ID number is 48082 of a rotor controlled
FEES is free to be observed (International designator automatically or manually
at 437.2 MHz, and the 2021-022AL). through a computer
beacon is transmitted according to the spacecraft
alternatively through LoRa Our ground station is trajectories. It is currently
Courtesy: Israel’s students who
(Modulation band width: 125 located at our operative operative for the FEES developed Duchifat

40 TIP September 2021

 NEWS
Space-related
Educational Resources
NASA helps Students Launch Satellites in New School Year

A
s students head “We hope to enlist students NASA offers
back to school, in joining us on NASA's teachers,
NASA is ready with exciting journey," Kris schoolkids and
resources for students, Brown, Deputy Associate their families
teachers and families. Administrator for NASA's educational
From kindergarteners to Office of STEM resources about
college students and Engagement, told many agency
beyond, NASA has Space.com. (STEM stands missions,
(Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/Seán Doran)
resources and opportunities for "science, technology, including that of
available that are designed engineering and math.") its Perseverance citizen scientist Seán Doran
to inform and excite "We've got, in particular, a Mars rover. This mosaic, using 62 images captured
students, and to involve number of really exciting which shows Perseverance by Perseverance on April 6,
them in the space agency's mission milestones coming and NASA’s Ingenuity Mars 2021.
many upcoming initiatives. up over the fall." helicopter, was created by Source: space.com

Nano and Microsatellite Space Law Treaties and Principles

Markets-2026
The Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space
(UN-COPUOS) is the forum for the development of
international space law. The Committee has concluded
five international treaties and five sets of principles on
Opportunity in the Growth in the space-related activities.

Demand for Satellite Imagery from These five treaties deal with issues such as the non-
appropriation of outer space by any one country, arms
Non-Governmental Players control, the freedom of exploration, liability for damage
caused by space objects, the safety and rescue of
spacecraft and astronauts, the prevention of harmful

T
he global continue to use them for interference with space activities and the environment,
nanosatellite and R&D. These CubeSats the notification and registration of space activities,
microsatellite market provide an affordable scientific investigation and the exploitation of natural
size is expected to grow means of demonstrating resources in outer space and the settlement of disputes.
from USD 2.3 billion in 2021 exciting new technologies, Treaties
to USD 5.7 billion by 2026, along with driving the The treaties commonly referred to as the "five United
at a Compound Annual drastic miniaturization of Nations treaties on outer space" are:
Growth Rate (CAGR) of systems and encouraging a The "Outer Space Treaty”
20.4%. Commercial new approach to spacecraft The "Rescue Agreement”
companies, researchers, integration. The "Liability Convention”
academia, and the The "Registration Convention”
ResearchAndMarkets.com
government are building The "Moon Agreement”
Source: businesswire.com The five declarations and legal principles are:
CubeSats for various
operational missions. The "Declaration of Legal Principles”
Commercial companies use The "Broadcasting Principles”
these miniature satellites The "Remote Sensing Principles”
for global imaging and The "Nuclear Power Sources" Principles
communications while Image Source: geospatialworld.net The "Benefits Declaration”
researchers and academia
https://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/ourwork/spacelaw/treaties.html

42 TIP September 2021

 NEWS
Cusp Plasma Imaging
Detector (CuPID)
CubeSat will get new perspective on Sun-Earth boundary

W
hen you help This September, a rocket
build a satellite will launch from
the size of a Vandenberg Space Force
shoebox, you learn pretty Base in California, bringing
much everything about it, with it Landsat 9, a joint
says Emil Atz, a PhD mission of NASA and the
candidate in Mechanical U.S. Geological Survey. The
Engineering at Boston rocket will also carry four
University. You learn how to CubeSats - compact, box-
write a proposal to fund it, shaped satellites used for
how to place the screws space research projects.
that hold it together, how to
test each instrument to
ensure it functions properly. Source: spacedaily.com

Artificial Intelligence in Space

Preparing for the Future

W
hen we think of have inbuilt artificial data or the systems intelligence has taken major
robots, we tend intelligence. They are used embedded in an leaps forward since the
to personify in all kinds of situations, autonomous vehicle. dawn of the internet.
these non-human aids and especially where they can Usually, artificially Deep learning (DL) is a
give them human-like alleviate strenuous tasks or intelligent systems are specialised technique
features. But even though a complete missions that are taught by humans — a within ML, whereby the
lot of research has gone too dangerous for a human process that involves machine utilises multi-
into developing these to undertake. writing an awful lot of layered artificial neural
humanoid machines, we complex computer code. networks to train itself on
are still a long way from a The term 'artificial
intelligence (AI)' comprises complex tasks like image
world where they could But artificial intelligence can
all techniques that enable recognition. This can
take over, or even mimic also be achieved through
computers to mimic happen via supervised
the actions of a person. machine learning (ML),
intelligence, for example, learning (e.g. feed the
which teaches machines to
Robots are machines that computers that analyse system Moon and Earth
learn for themselves. ML is
pictures until it can
a way of 'training' a
successfully identify both
relatively simple algorithm
types) or unsupervised
to become more complex.
learning, where the network
Huge amounts of data are
finds structure by itself.
fed into the algorithm,
Good examples of deep
which adjusts and improves
learning are online
itself over time. In ML,
translation services, image
machines process
libraries and navigation
information in a similar way
systems for self-driving
to humans by developing
cars or spacecraft.
artificial neural networks.
ESA-wide applications of AI/ML
This type of artificial Source: esa.int

TIP September 2021 43

 Book Review

I
TCA has signed an MoU with the
Authors during the Indo-Israel Space
Leadership Programmes organised
during 2018-19 for Publishing the Original
Book of “Satellites and the Dawn of New
Space” written originally in Hebrew for
Israel’s Tel Aviv University, Technion
Institute of Technology and Herzliya
Science Centre/Schools of Israel.

The book was unique and instrumental for

the successful design and development,
fabrication, integration and launch of
“Nano Satellites” by Israel School Students
and University Students.

The book begins by describing the unique

environmental conditions prevalent in the
area of space near Earth and continues
with a description of the moving bodies in
space and the capabilities needed by a
satellite launcher to insert a satellite into
orbit around the Earth. Later on, the book
provides a comprehensive description of
the systems vital to the function of the
satellite under the environmental
conditions in space. The last part of the
book provides examples of space
missions and an extensive survey of
Israel's assets in space, since the
establishment of the Israeli space
program and until today.

This book will be available shortly.

For more details contact:

[email protected]

A
dvances in engineering and collaborated with the Indian Technology
technology have powered societal Congress Association (ITCA) develop a
development, and society has publication titled "Compendium of Students'
benefitted from the exploration and Satellites" that chronicles the various
exploitation of space for myriad applications student-satellite programs being undertaken
including weather forecasting, response to globally and will help structure a program
natural or man-made disasters, relevant for Indian needs. It would build
communication and navigation; and security. synergy between academia, industry and
Development of space technologies has international agencies to highlight the
successfully contributed to man's conquest benefits of small satellites for societal
over distance and terrain to ensure equitable advancement and inspire the engineering
and sustainable social development. youth in India and help enhance their
learning and readiness to join the industry.
In this context that the World Federation of
Engineering Organizations Standing
Committee on Information and For Hardcopy of this book please contact:
Communication (WFEO-CIC) has [email protected]

44 TIP September 2021

 End-User
NEWS
Thoughts

Impact of Space Technologies on

Sustainable Development Goals

T
he United Nations (UN), Dr. Wooday P. Krishna
involving more than 190 National President,
Member States, has developed Indian Institution of Production Engineers,
the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable National Council Member,
Development in order to address The Institution of Engineers (India)
these challenges in the form of 17
Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) with 169 associated specific
targets The Indian Technology Congress
Satellites and space exploration have Association, a professional association
enormous potential to help of interdisciplinary engineers, has been
accomplish the set targets of SDGs. assisting in developing the capability
Space science, engineering, and to fulfil social demands. ITCA
technology are used in information Image Source: unoosa.org adherents from India's top space
technology, contemporary research organization and academia
communications, global positioning opportunities for innovation and have created multidisciplinary teams
systems, digital broadcasting, weather infrastructure development. to address specific pain points and
prediction, and remote sensing. They deploy technology solutions.
Global synergy and collaboration in
give real-time information and time- space exploration have enabled These teams have gone on to do
series data from any central or remote numerous possibilities to push the research in academic institutions,
location to aid policy choices. They are boundaries of knowledge in several mentor students with an
essential for tracking progress on key domains, spawning new fields of study entrepreneurial mindset, and now
Goals Indicators. and using the new skills to build novel incubate start-ups engaging in the
The advancement of modern space products that meet societal needs. New Space era. ITCA has also created
systems has the potential to have a actionable synergies with R&D,
Realizing the ambitious development
force multiplier effect on a variety of academia, and industry in countries
goals necessitates the careful
social circumstances. Technologies including Israel, UK, USA, Serbia, etc.
integration of space capabilities
developed for space missions can be created by nations with in-depth ITCA-incubated start-ups and partners
taken and adapted for terrestrial use. specific talent; multi-stakeholder are creating New Space CubeSats to
National investments in space entities are ideally positioned to forge deliver SDG 2030-focused space
research can assist in communicating global and multilateral public-private applications in agriculture, water
scientific knowledge to a larger partnerships to harness space for the conservation, clean-smart cities, and
population while also opening up new SDGs. municipal dumping.

TIP September 2021 45

 Space Technologies for
Sustainable Development Goals 2030: Scorecard
Transformational Positive Moderate
Ÿ Crop Productivity Optimization Ÿ Combat gender inequality by
Ÿ Natural resource optimization eliminating violence and human
Ÿ Food security and safe
Ÿ Disaster Mitigations trafcking
distribution
Ÿ Providing targeted support to Ÿ Use communication
Ÿ End Malnutrition’s
vulnerable societies technologies for empowerment
of Women
Ÿ Spread of social protection
Ÿ Urban Planning and polices to all deprived
Ÿ Geospatial data for precipitation
Infrastructure Monitoring forecasts, evapotranspiration
Ÿ Expansion and Improvement of data Ÿ Satellite technologies enable
City Services Ÿ Increase Water Use efciency safe and responsible migration
Ÿ Deployment of sensor based Ÿ Efcient Sanitation management
and mobility of people
smart waste management Ÿ Monitoring global nancial
systems markets
Ÿ Power Grid Synchronization Ÿ Equal prospects for countries
Ÿ Enhancing clean Energy options and people
Ÿ Climate early warning systems including Solar and Wind
and mitigation plans Ÿ Global Energy mix decisions
Ÿ Satellite technologies enable
Ÿ Reduce Global Co2 levels forecasts deployment of electronic tracking
Ÿ Human and Institutional devices; to ensure the safety of
Capacity Building Ÿ Establish safe and secure children using dedicated
working environments wearables; and to prevent theft
Ÿ Lone Workers Monitoring by monitoring assets
Ÿ Increase afforestation and Ÿ Improve higher level of economy Ÿ Reduce corruption
reforestation
Ÿ Improves the decision making
Ÿ Biodiversity protection and arrangements
Predicting conservation hotspots
Ÿ Geospatial technologies for
Ÿ Identifying human-animal conict
Infrastructure Mapping and Ÿ Advances International
zones
Monitoring Cooperation
Ÿ Smart Mobility Ÿ Promoting compatibility and
Ÿ Geo-Referenced Baseline Ÿ Increases Resources use interoperability of all systems
Inventory of Skill Facilities efciency Ÿ Improves trade relations
Ÿ Tele-Education to Overcome
Geographic Limitations Ÿ Natural Resources Management-
Ÿ Literacy Enrichment reducing resources use, and
minimizing degradation
Technologies Used
Ÿ Integrating supply chain, from
Satellite Earth Observation
Ÿ Monitoring and Prevention and producer to nal consumer
planning of infectious diseases Ÿ Sustainable tourism Satellite Communication
and epidemiology
Ÿ Regulating Air pollutants Satellite Positioning
Ÿ Telemedicine and Telesurgeries Ÿ To enhanced productivity in
shing operations Technology Transfer
Ÿ Ocean Biodiversity protection
Inspiration drawn from
Ÿ Marine Mining exploitation
ITCA Studies on Influence of Research and Education and
Space Technologies on
Sustainable Development Goals (2020) Microgravity Research

46 TIP September 2021

 Global
Practitioner

Our living style in

pursuit of a sustainable world
Brig Gen (res) Prof Chaim Eshed
Co-Founder, Israel Space Agency
Retd Brigadier General,Israel's Military
Intelligence Directorate

S
peaking at the inauguration on activity at Technion University was such as ground control station
"Our living style in pursuit of a taken as a case study to highlight how integration and testing and so on and
sustainable world", Prof. Chaim the program’s scientific experiments today it is available even to primary
Eshed, Co-Founder, Israel Space went on to become the forefront of and secondary school in Israel and we
Agency, and former Brigadier General, Israel’s technological innovation and share it with our friends in the 75
Israel Military Intelligence Directorate paved the way for the rapid expansion Student's Satellites Mission. If we go a
touched upon the immense wisdom of Israel's high-tech industries. step forward and combine foreign
documented in ancient scriptures companies to this kind of start-up it
including the Vedas, Bhagavadgita and He also said that, in Israel we could not can be very successful and that's how
the Bible; and the thoughts expressed launch eastward with the rotation of we built our launcher from scratch.
by Mahatma Gandhi, Albert Einstein the earth like everybody. Finally we
and Prof. Robert Oppenheimer. He also launched it westward instead of Concluding his address, Prof. Eshed
pointed out the progress achieved by eastward and we lost 30 percent of its dwelt upon the Indo-Israel strategic
the two nations-India and Israel capability but still had to monitor the alliance that included synergy with
through technological innovation launcher because it's way over the ISRO for PSLV as the main launcher for
driven by the needs for national and Mediterranean was a risky affair of Israel's satellites, ITCA's 75 Students’
homeland security. either dropping an empty stage after it Satellites Mission 2022, and how these
finished burning on either people, space initiatives would leverage the
Pointing out the relevance of space residential areas, livestock and we technological advances taking place in
technologies for achieving the wanted to take care of everything. So artificial intelligence, cloud and
Sustainable Development Goals, Prof. to build and launch a satellite we quantum computing, nanosatellite
Eshed articulated how remote-sensing needed that time expensive constellations and aerial platforms
satellites could provide actionable infrastructure to support the efforts amongst others.
data for monitoring the soil, snow
cover, drought, crop development,
and proactively addressing global crop
fluctuations and disruptions in food
supply.

Recalling the common approach by

both Israel and India in promoting
engagement by academia, industry
and government, Prof. Eshed
emphasized the relevance and
importance of some of the initiatives
nurtured by the Indian Technology
Congress Association (ITCA) including
incubating start-ups, establishing Brig Gen (Res) Prof Chaim Eshed, at Inaugural Function of ITC 2019, 04 September 2019, Bangalore.
multidisciplinary centres of excellence L to R: Dr Wooday P Krishna, National President, IIPE, Dr LV Muralikrishna Reddy, Chairman, ITC, Dr Ashwath Narayan C N,
and progressing student-built satellite Hon'ble Deputy Chief Minister, Government of Karnataka, Brig Gen (res) Prof Chaim Eshed, Prof R M Vasagam, Padma Shri
Recipient, Chairman, National Advisory Committee, ITC2019, Ms Dana Kursh , Consul General of Israel to South India,
programs in universities and academic
Dr P V Venkitakrishnan, Director - Capacity Building Programme Office, ISRO
institutions. The student-built satellite

TIP September 2021 47

 Upcoming Launches by
Future
Launch

Global Space Agencies

27 September 2021 United Launch Alliance 30 September 2021
Epsilon Rocket
Atlas V Rocket
United Launch Alliance Atlas JAXA will use an Epsilon rocket
V rocket will launch the to launch the Rapid Innovative
NASA/U.S. Geological Survey Payload Demonstration
(USGS) Landsat 9 satellite Satellite 2 (RAISE 2), a
technology demonstrator

Launch Site & Time: Launch Site & Time:

Vandenberg Space Force Base in California Uchinoura Space Center, 8:48 p.m. EDT
2:11 p.m. EDT (1811 GMT)

Q4 2021 SSLV October 2021 SpaceX Falcon 9

An ISRO Small Satellite A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will

Launch Vehicle (SSLV) rocket launch 51 satellites for the
will launch the Demo 1 company's Starlink broadband
mission. The launch date is internet constellation
currently targeted for Q4 2021

Launch Site & Time: Launch Site & Time:

Satish Dhawan Spaceport, Shriharikota, TBD Cape Canaveral Air Force Station - SLC 40, TBD

October 2021 SpaceX Falcon 16 October 2021 United Launch Alliance

Heavy Atlas V 500 Series
A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5
will launch the USSF 44 mission rocket will launch NASA’s Lucy
for the U.S. Space Force. It would spacecraft. Built by Lockheed
deploy two spacecraft payloads Martin, Lucy will fly-by seven
including the military’s TETRA 1 Trojan asteroids, a family of
microsatellite. asteroids that orbit the sun.
Launch Site & Time: Launch Site & Time:
Kennedy Space Center - LC-39A, TBD Cape Canaveral Air Force Station - SLC 41, 5:34 am

31 October 2021 SpaceX November 2021 United Launch Alliance

Falcon 9 Atlas V 500 Series
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5
launch a Crew Dragon spacecraft rocket will launch the STP-3
with 3 NASA astronauts and one mission for the U.S. Space Force.
ESA astronaut on-board to the Comprising STPSat 6 satellite
International Space Station. and several small satellites.

Launch Site & Time: Launch Site & Time:

Kennedy Space Center - LC-39A, TBD Cape Canaveral Air Force Station - SLC 41, TBD

November 2021 Boeing CST-100 November 2021 United Launch Alliance

Starliner Atlas V 500 Series
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5
rocket, designated AV-082, will rocket will launch the USSF 8
launch Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner mission with the fifth and sixth
spacecraft on second unpiloted satellites for the Space Force’s
test flight to the International GSSAPin geosynchronous orbit,
Space Station. designed to help the military.
Launch Site & Time: Launch Site & Time:
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station - SLC 41, TBD Cape Canaveral Air Force Station - SLC 41, TBD

48 TIP September 2021

 November 2021 SpaceX 17 November 2021 SpaceX
Falcon 9 Falcon 9
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will It will launch the NASA’s Imaging
launch the Turksat 5B X-ray Polarimetry Explorer. IXPE
exploits the polarization state of
communications satellite for
light from astrophysical sources
Turksat, a Turkish satellite
to provide insight to our
operator.
understanding of X-rays
Launch Site & Time: Launch Site & Time:
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station - SLC 40,, TBD Kennedy Space Center - LC-39A, TBD

04 December 2021 SpaceX December 2021 SpaceX

Falcon 9 Falcon 9
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will
launch the Transporter 3 mission,
launch a Dragon 2 spacecraft on a rideshare flight to a sun-
its fourth cargo resupply mission synchronous orbit with numerous
to the International Space small microsatellites and
nanosatellites for commercial and
Station.
government customers
Launch Site & Time: Launch Site & Time:
Kennedy Space Center - LC-39A, TBD Cape Canaveral Air Force Station - SLC 40, TBD

08 January 2022 United Launch Alliance January 2022 SpaceX Falcon

Atlas V 500 Series Heavy
A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 will launch the USSF 52 mission
rocket will launch GOES-T, the for the U.S. Space Force. The
third geostationary weather mission will launch an
satellite for NASA and NOAA. unspecified military payload on
this mission
Launch Site & Time: Launch Site & Time:
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station - SLC 41, 4:33 pm - 6:33 pm ET Kennedy Space Center - LC-39A, TBD

February 2022 United Launch Alliance Early 2022 Vega C

Atlas V 500 Series
A United Launch Alliance Vulcan An Arianespace Vega C rocket will
Centaur rocket will launch the launch the LARES 2 satellite for
ASI, the Italian space agency. This
Peregrine commercial lunar will mark the inaugural flight of
lander for Astrobotic. The Europe’s new Vega C rocket.
Peregrine robotic lander will carry Delayed from mid-2020 by
multiple experiments for NASA coronavirus impacts.

Launch Site & Time: Launch Site & Time:

Cape Canaveral Air Force Station - SLC 41, TBD ZLV, Kourou, French Guiana, TBD

Early 2022
Ariane 5 March 2022 SpaceX
Falcon 9
Arianespace will use an Ariane 5 A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will
ECA rocket, designated VA257, to launch the first two World View
launch the MEASAT 3d and GSAT Legion Earth observation
satellites for Maxar Technologies
24 communications satellites. to deploy six commercial World
GSAT 24 is a direct-to-home TV View Legion remote sensing
broadcasting satellite for ISRO satellites
Launch Site & Time: Launch Site & Time:
ELA-3, Kourou, French Guiana, TBD LC-4E, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. EDT

TIP September 2021 49

 Thought Leader’s
Perspective

Role of Satellite for the Ocean Business

Observation and Data Telemetry

T
he launch of the first Earth climate change is already affecting
observing satellites in the late every region of the Earth, with many
1970s paved the way for experiencing more frequent weather R Venkatesan
tremendous development of remotely and climate extremes. Observations Group Head
sensed ocean data, from altimetry, constitute our primary source of National Institute of Ocean Technology
ocean colour and sea-surface information about how our climate is Ministry of Earth Sciences, Chennai
temperature to salinity. The oceans changing. The importance of ocean
play a crucial role in the prosperity and data was underlined in the findings of
way communication, affordable
future of our civilisation; as a source of the recent Assessment Report from
communication both for voice and
natural resources, as host to industry the Intergovernmental Panel on
data to enable forecast/warning to
(e.g., transport and offshore energy) Climate Change (IPCC AR6[1], August
sailing fishing vessels/ships,
and in controlling climate (global 2021)and satellite-based sensors are
miniaturized terminals and related
warming). The importance of remote now capable of providing nearly
hub-based sub systems. Another
sensing data for ocean services is synoptic regional and global
widely used satellite-based services is
recognized globally and well oceanographic data.
provided by the Global Navigation
understood on the significance of
Global Scenario Satellite System (GNSS).
investments in ocean observations
from space. Satellite Oceanography The number of disasters increased by The Way Forward
encompasses oceanographic research a factor of five between 1970 and 2019,
Satellite missions are expected to
and technological development driven by climate change, more
meet the demand for improved
resulting from systems in Earth’s orbit. extreme weather, and improved
accuracy of measurements of the
Remote sensing technology makes reporting. But, thanks to improved
global marine geoid, considerable
use of electromagnetic radiation of a early warnings and disaster
improvement in the altimetric
certain wavelength (ranging from management, the number of deaths
determination of absolute dynamic
visible to microwave) to distinguish decreased almost three-fold. The new
topography and ocean circulation.
different objects. Oceanographically Earth System approach consisting of
There are many ocean optical and
important remotely sensed variables atmosphere, ocean, hydrology, space,
microwave instruments on the anvil in
include temperature, salinity, solar and polar region is becoming the need
the international arena – ensuring
radiation, wind stress and direction, of hour and the World Meteorological
uninterrupted supply of data for ocean
rainfall, surface heat fluxes, ocean Organisation (WMO) Congress has
studies. Smart satellite sensors for
colour (e.g., pigment concentrations), given importance to unified data
event-triggered sampling using
and sea surface height (altimetry). sharing and Global Basic Observing
sensors, steerable instruments in
Thus, remote sensing by space-borne Network. The Intergovernmental
geostationary orbit, ocean coverage,
sensors has become an extremely Oceanographic Commission of
sea navigation and inter-satellite
important component of ocean UNESCO is entrusted to coordinate
communication capabilities. These
observing systems. United Decade of Ocean Sciences for
approaches are most attractive for
the Sustainable Development (2021-
Tropical Cyclones responses to disasters and for
30) and one among the seven
directing field and other remote
The NIOT/ MoES has been maintaining outcomes is to enhance predictive
sensing assets toward key locations to
a moored buoy network for the past 25 oceans with wider observation under
provide data that would otherwise be
years using an indigenously the Global Ocean Observing System
unattainable. Enhanced satellite-based
developed buoy system with a new (GOOS).
observations are required for many
feature of high frequency real time
Satellite Communication other ocean studies such as marine
data transmission (Patent Pending)
heat waves, tsunamis, marine
from 16 locations at sea. The Powering connectivity at sea,
debris(plastics), sea level rise etc.,
combination of the satellite-based streamline vessel operations, optimise
which are linked to blue economy and
data with in-situ observations and route planning while ensuring safety of
Disaster Risk reduction for coastal
numerical models helped IMD to lives at sea require seamless satellite
communities.
provide accurate prediction of landfall communications at sea.Further ocean
which was globally appreciated. observation tools and various All the above can be accomplished by
autonomous systems deployed in the partnership among government,
Climate Change
ocean are using INMARSAT/Iridium industry, and academia with specific
Scientific evidence of climate change satellites. In future, Indian satellites can new ideas/result based involvement
is unequivocal. Human-induced have Indian ocean coverage with two- from students.

50 TIP September 2021

 Investor’s
Point of

Investment opportunities View

for SmallSats

T
he small satellite industry has Research by MAZ Investments, an
seen tremendous growth over Israel-based techno-engineering
the last few years. Technological project appraisal organization shows
advances in microelectronics have that satellite communication and
helped small satellites match the space-based internet services;
Akiba Penkar
performance of larger satellites. Small mapping and navigation; earth Director
satellites are affordable to build, test observation and remote sensing; and SYMBA MAZ Business Consortium
and launch, and have created an science and exploration are some of Israel
opportunity to build constellations. the lucrative segments in the New
These constellations are creating new Space economy. non-core business tasks (example-
use cases in agriculture, defense, Smallsats can be built using Ground Segment as a Service) with
business intelligence, forestry, and Commercial-off-the-Shelf (COTS) virtual networks of ground stations.
disaster management. hardware components and Wall Street industry reports have
With governments and national space technology. Microelectronic pointed out to their clientele that the
agencies evaluating constellations of innovations such as control sensors New Space economy is likely to more
small satellites, and commercial and actuators, trans-receivers, multi- than triple in the next decade and
customers preferring smallsats for spectral imagers, panels, and antennas become a USD 1.4 trillion market. It is
would play a major role in enhancing opined that New Space economy is
their lower costs, speed of
efficiency of small satellites and growing "because space is being seen
development, and agility, it is obvious
making it easier to assemble and test. as a viable industry to invest in" by
that these satellites will unify the world
New Space leaders including Virgin multiple classes of investors-public
in ways we have never imagined,
Galactic, Blue Origin and SpaceX are companies that are focused
creating opportunities for new
developing reusable launches that can exclusively on space, public
breakthroughs.
be used for multiple flights, slashing enterprises with exposure through a
Global investment Scenario the cost of satellite development, and space subsidiary and private
increasing their adoption. businesses which may either go public
According to the nanosatellite industry or spin off divisions (CNBC report,
tracking website, nanosats.eu, more MAZ Investments has also been November 2019).
than 3400 nanosatellites and Cubesats tracking the expanding role of venture
capital and private investors in the Another trend that has been noticed is
have been launched into orbit as of 20
New Space industry. The investor that investments in space-based
August 2021. Business entities and
application companies is on an upward
organizations are launching profile is diverse with business angels,
curve while investments into space
constellations for applications corporate ventures, venture capitalists,
infrastructure companies (those that
including telecommunications and space enthusiasts considering
build rockets and satellites) has seen a
high-speed space-based internet investments with a wide range of
drop.
services, and earth observation. investment objectives-business angels
supporting a start-up in mid to long- Global Case study: Israel’s
Industry reports peg the global small term and venture capitalists exploring Experience in Small Satellites
satellite market size at about USD 2.8 the possibility of quick financial results. Israel has been a pioneer in the
billion in 2020 to USD 7.1 billion by
MAZ Investments is of the opinion that development and launching of high-
2025 with a CAGR of 20.5%. These
start-ups and investors would focus on performance nanosatellites and traces
satellites are characterized by shorter its strength to the strong linkages with
provisioning global services (including
development cycles and smaller academia and the industry to develop
communication, earth observation,
project teams, and hence can be on the continuing innovation cycles in
remote sensing and IoT) that are sold
developed at a fraction of conventional the domain of aerospace and defence.
to a larger number of users.
satellites. Innovation and technological Israel’s space industry has been
advances in computational Industry analysts point out that while unique in that it has developed
technologies and data analytics have the dominant idea in New Space is significant expertise on a modest
driven the miniaturization of satellite vertical integration, there could be a budget and in an academic
systems. trend towards the externalization of environment.

TIP September 2021 51

Israel has championed the creation of marketplace. Therefore, teachers in organizations. ITCA has collaborated
an ecosystem where there is a flow of high schools must engage students in with various professional organizations
information between universities, Science, Technology, Engineering and worldwide, including TMISAT-Israel,
schools, and engineers with the Mathematics (STEM) curriculum earlier Israel Aerospace Industries, etc.
objective of creating a talent pool of to generate interest, develop skills and
Investment Prospects
student innovators to take forward provide the educational foundation for
scientific and technological innovations students to build upon. SYMBA-MAZ a business entity in Israel
in the country. with global operations including India
This was in resonance with our
has structured affordable funding
Engagement with ITCA education pedagogy followed in Israel
mechanisms for institutions and
ITCA has been at the forefront of and it was possible for us to build the
universities to progress student-built
building partnerships with Israeli structure for introducing student-built
satellite programmes. It has
Universities which could be utilized by satellite programs for Indian institutions
aggregated a single-window process
Indian Institutions and Universities. in partnership with Israel. We also
where institutions desirous of
Leadership of Indian Universities and noticed that the major impediment to
progressing student satellite activity
Institutions were very keen on progressing these projects was the
could gain access to state-of-the-art
introducing programmes that could limited access to funds.
technology, mentors to guide the
bridge the gap between the ITCA and 75 Satellite Mission student and faculty teams, and
curriculum and the expectations of ITCA has initiated the ambitious "75 institutions to gain access to affordable
industry and were proponents of Students' Satellites Mission 2022" to funds. SYMBA-MAZ in partnership with
Practice-based Learning methodology. commemorate the "75 Years of Indian ITCA is positioned strongly to progress
Reaching students earlier in their Independence"(1947-2022) by the student-built satellite program in
educational development cycle is launching 75 student-built satellites India and build a culture of innovation
critical in developing a workforce to into orbit in conjunction with national and technological excellence in the
remain competitive in the global and international tech-space future workforce of the country.

Key Messages
As key components of the world’s Decision makers need to better
growing digitalisation, space understand and map the use of space
technologies will play a role in technologies in government services
furthering social well-being and and society as well as future needs,
sustainable growth in the post-COVID- and identify and address key hurdles
19 pandemic recovery. Notably, space to technology uptake and sector
technologies can contribute to development, such as skills gaps and
bridging the digital divide, monitor availability of personnel, so as to
changing climate, extreme weather ensure the cost efficiency and
and the use of natural resources, and sustainability of critical space
create new economic opportunities. infrastructure. This will require
concerted efforts across multiple
However, a number of challenges
government services and between
need to be addressed before G20
countries, as well as expanding
economies can make the most of what
cooperation with the private sector.
space technologies have to offer. Skills
and gender gaps in the space-related Several G20 economies have made
workforce, and a need to improve on- great progress in the economic
the-ground digital infrastructures, are measurement of their space activities,
common issues. contributing to enhance awareness of
the contributions of the space
Moreover, the unprecedented
economy to the economy and to the
This latest publication is intensified use of Earth’s orbits is
accountability of public spending in
outcome of G-20 Space threatening the orbital environment this area. These activities contribute to
Economy Leaders Meeting and its space infrastructure, with better understanding and evaluating
just concluded at Rome, Italy debris accumulating yearly. With a the impacts of government
growing societal reliance on space-
prepared by Organisation for investments and will prove useful for
based infrastructure and systems, underpinning future government
Economic Co-operation and
debris-related incidents and collisions investments and policy decisions.
Developments Space Forum could have significant negative
consequences globally. Source: oecd.org

52 TIP September 2021

 Industry

Women Pioneers in Outlook

Space programmes

S
pace exploration in its early As has been chronicled by the Commander, starting April 2008,
years did not have women as National Aeronautics and Space during a six-month tour of duty on
part of the plan. While it is Administration (NASA), Sally Ride was Expedition 16.
commonplace today for men and the first American woman in space,
Ÿ The most women in space at one
women to work with the national and flew aboard the Space Shuttle
time (four) happened in 2010, when
space agencies, circa 1950s required a STS-7 in June 1983. Some of the other
space shuttle Discovery visited the
struggle for women to participate in notable firsts by women include:
space station for the STS-131
any space program.
Other notable firsts mission. Discovery’s crew of seven
The first woman to travel to space was included NASA astronauts Dorothy
Soviet cosmonaut, Valentina Ÿ Roscosmos cosmonaut Svetlana Metcalf-Lindenburger and
Tereshkova. On 16 June 1963, Savitskaya was the first woman to Stephanie Wilson and Japan
Tereshkova was launched aboard the participate in a spacewalk on July Aerospace Exploration Agency
spacecraft Vostok 6 on a solo mission. 25, 1984. (JAXA) astronaut Naoko Yamazaki.
She spent 70 hours orbiting the Earth. The space station crew of six
Ÿ NASA astronaut Mae Jemison flew
It was no cakewalk for Tereshkova to included NASA astronaut Tracy
on the Space Shuttle Endeavour's
be selected as a cosmonaut, she had Caldwell Dyson.
STS-47 mission in 1992, becoming
to distinguish herself from 400 other the first black woman in space. Ÿ Susan Helms shares the record for
candidates who had applied to the
Ÿ NASA astronaut Susan Helms was longest single spacewalk, totalling
cosmonaut corps. Tereshkova
the first female crew member 8 hours 56 minutes, with fellow
underwent 18 months of rigorous
aboard the space station, a NASA astronaut Jim Voss.
training with the then Soviet Air Force
after selection to hone her skills in member of Expedition 2 from Ÿ Expedition 24 marked a first with
handling challenges including March to August 2001. two women, NASA astronauts
emergency management and the Ÿ NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson Shannon Walker and Tracy
isolation of being in space alone. was the first female ISS Caldwell Dyson, assigned to a
Tereshkova till today holds the record
title as the youngest woman and the Ref: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/whm-recent-female-astronauts
first civilian to travel in space.

In the USA, Frances "Poppy" Northcutt

was the first woman to work as
technical staff for the Apollo program.
Working in the Mission Control's W
Mission Planning and Analysis room,
Northcutt and her team formulated
and developed the return-to-Earth
trajectory that the Apollo 8 crew took The United Nations General Assembly has declared "World
to return from the Moon to Earth. Her
Space Week" as an annual event between October 4 and 10
singular contribution to the Apollo 8
commemorate two important dates in space history: the launch
was to ensure accuracy in the
calculations that lowered the amount of the first human-made Earth satellite, Sputnik 1, on 4 October
of fuel used to swing around the Moon. 1957; and the signing of the Outer Space Treaty on 10 October
Apollo 8 became the first crewed 1967. World Space Week is officially defined as "an international
mission to ever leave the Earth's orbit, celebration of science and technology, and their contribution to
reached the Moon successfully, the betterment of the human condition” and is observed from
orbited it and then returned to Earth October 4-10 in over 95 nations across the globe.
safely on 27 December 1968. She was
awarded the Presidential Medal of It is reckoned as the largest annual space event in the world.
Freedom Team Award for her work on
Apollo 13 mission. For more information, visit https://www.worldspaceweek.org/

TIP September 2021 53

 space station mission from April to As of March 2021, 68 women have origin who have travelled to space. Dr.
September 2010. flown in space, including astronauts, Swati Mohan, Yogita Shah, Priyanka
cosmonauts, space station Srivastava and Zainab Nagin Cox who
Ÿ The 2013 astronaut class was the participants, and payload specialists. have contributed significantly to the
first with equal numbers of women Russian Federation, Canada, Japan, success of landmark space
and men. European Space Agency (ESA), China, programmes.
Ÿ NASA astronaut Anne McClain Korea and Sweden are the other
nations who have deputed women to In 2019 Beth Moses became the first
became the first woman to live
travel to space. In addition, women woman commercial astronaut to travel
aboard the space station as part of
have participated in scientific research to space (sub-orbital). NASA astronaut
two different crews with other
on the International Space Station and Megan McArthur is currently serving as
women: Serena Auñón-Chancellor
have contributed to the technological Pilot of the NASA SpaceX Crew-2
in 2018 and Christina Koch in 2019.
advances achieved in the program. mission to the ISS, launched on 23
Ÿ NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Kalpana Chawla, an American April 2021.On 16 September 2021, Sian
Christina Koch completed the first astronaut and engineer, was the first Proctor and Hayley Arceneaux
all-female spacewalk in October woman of Indian origin to travel to became the first female commercial
2019. They conducted two more space. Sunita Williams and Sirisha astronauts to orbit on Inspiration.
spacewalks together in 2020. Bandla are the other women of Indian

Impact of COVID19 on Space Industry

S
atellite-based information and lack of accessible financing have of Indian space missions are likely to
data are becoming increasingly perplexed space players, creating see changes to the intended
important in societies' effective business uncertainty and doubt schedules as the partner ecosystem
running and economic development amongst customers, employees, needs to get back to a full-fledged
as the world digitalizes. The sector's partners, and investors. contributory mode. Over the last two
recent expansion has resulted in years, ISRO has gone beyond its
unprecedented levels of While many space sector businesses established mandate to help the
entrepreneurship and startup activity. appear to be coping with time, a ordinary citizen by ensuring the
Investments in space programmes substantial number are struggling, availability of oxygen concentrators to
help to foster scientific discovery, particularly small-sized enterprises, provide assistance at the peak of the
technological advancement, and which make up most commercial COVID crisis, earning good-will from
breakthroughs in commercialized players in the space industry. More all.
digital experiences. More than 80 significantly, the groupings of startups,
countries already have space incubators, and universities Because of the ISRO's lucrative and
programmes, and they are participating in SmallSat development, affordable launch options, many
continuously spending substantially in which is a critical source of innovation countries rely on India's capabilities to
space missions because they perceive and experimentation, are taking longer launch their small satellites. India has
the potential for substantial economic to recover from the COVID shutdown. launched 342 such satellites for 34
gains and competitive advantage for nations over the last two decades. The
The Indian enterprise, particularly the pandemic has also significantly
nations.
country's most popular national space influenced commercial space
The socioeconomic catastrophe agency, ISRO, has been impacted as a companies, primarily startups and
caused by the COVID pandemic, in result of the COVID pandemic and the academic organizations developing
addition to the confinement of citizens slow recovery by partners in the space experiential SmallSats, including Nano
globally, may have impacted the ecosystem. Many programmes, and Cube.
trajectory of space exploration in the including a few launches, have been
same way that all other business delayed and eventually rescheduled, Similarly, ITCA's 75 Student Satellite
sectors experienced, with severity including the ambitious Moon mission. mission has been deferred since
varying depending on the endeavour. While there were five launches in 2019, academia has been shuttered for over
The postponement of launch dates, only two took place in 2020, and one two years, with faculty and students
the closure of several satellite this year from the Satish Dhawan not being available on campus to
production lines, the shutdown of Space Centre in Sriharikota. Other implement such complex missions.
academia and universities, and the major launches and progressive plans

54 TIP September 2021

 National

ISRO Initiatives Space Agency

On the path to Atmanirbhar Bharat

Dr K Sivan Sri R Umamaheswaran Sri Radhakrishnan D Dr Pawan Kumar Goenka

Chairman, ISRO Scientific Secretary Chairman & Managing Director Chairperson
Secretary, DOS ISRO New Space India Limited IN-SPACe

T
he reforms have Transfer of Technologies
tasked ISRO with from Public to Private
identifying and Sector
announcing future The reforms have
opportunities in selected authorized the public sector
science and exploration company NSIL to act as the
missions for private sector
112 Spacecraft
Missions
(/list-of-
82 Launch
Missions
(/launches-
12 Student
Sate;;otes
(/spacecrat/list
2 Re-entry
Missions
(/list-o-re-
342 Foreign
Satellites***

participation. Such
exclusive public-sector
spacecrafts)* sdsc-shar- of-university- entry-
aggregator for both
participation will be
sriharikota- academic- missions)
*** of 34 Countries

demand and supply of

india)** institute-
* Including
satellites)

promoted through part

3 Nano Satellites, 1 Micro

space assets/ services on a

Satellite ** Including
Scramjet-TD, RLV-TD and
Crew Escape System
funding by the government.
commercial basis, including

T
ISRO will also share best-
he global space Ÿ Building of launch imaging, communication
practices, protocols, and
economy is currently vehicles and satellites transponders, launch
other relevant technical
valued at about USD services etc. In its role as a
Ÿ Sharing of ISRO facilities expertise with the private
360 billion. Despite being demand aggregator, NSIL
Ÿ Establishment of facilities sector to enhance their
one of the few space faring will acquire satellites,
in the Department of capacity for space activitie
nations in the world, India launch vehicles, and other
Space (DOS)' premises
accounts for only 2% of the assets developed by ISRO
space economy. Ÿ Launch campaign and or the private industry. In its
launch role as a supply aggregator,
In line with the Prime
Minister's vision of Ÿ Space-based services NSIL will commercialize
promoting private sector assets and services like
Provide a Stable
activity in all high- transponder capacity,
Regulatory and Policy
technology areas including imaging services, launch
Environment
space to unlock the capacity etc, on ISRO-
potential of India's youth The reforms have developed satellites and
and entrepreneurs, ISRO strengthened the policy- Indian space contribution launch vehicles.
2% of global market share
has initiated reforms to making capacity of the
enable private entities Department of Space and Potential to capture Platforms such as Polar
95 of global market share
within the Indian space an exercise has been by 2030
Satellite Launch Vehicle
sector to establish initiated to create new (PSLV) and Small Satellite
themselves as independent business-friendly policy % of global market share Launch Vehicle (SSLV) have
players capable of end-to- frameworks in areas like US 40% been identified for transfer
end space activities. remote-sensing, satellite UK 7%
of technology to the private
communication, and launch sector in the near future.
The implementation India 2%
strategy identified by ISRO policies.
Global space economy USD 360B
to open the space sector Announcement of Future Ref: ISRO’s Publication on
for private participation Opportunities for Private
India (in 2019) USD 7B Space Reforms “Unlocking
includes: Sector India to grow (by 2024) USD 50B the Space Sector”

TIP September 2021 55

 National
Space

New Space India Ltd Organisation

A Govt of India Company under Department of Space

N
ewSpace India Limited (NSIL), a
Government of India company
under Department of Space
and the commercial arm of the Indian
Space Research Organization (ISRO),
will be the sole nodal agency
responsible for providing end-to-end
SSLV Launch services for the customer
satellites starting from contractual,
technical, programmatic, launch
campaign, launch and post-launch
activities.

The major business areas of NSIL

include:
Ÿ Production of Polar Satellite Launch
Vehicle (PSLV) and Small Satellite
Launch Vehicle (SSLV) through
industry
Ÿ Production and marketing of space-
based services, including launch
services and space-based
applications like transponder
leasing, remote sensing, and
mission support services
Ÿ Building of Satellites (both
Communication and Earth
Observation) as per user
requirements
Ÿ Transfer of technology developed
by ISRO centres/ units and
constituent institutions of Dept. of
Space
Ÿ Marketing spin off technologies and
products/ services emanating out
of ISRO activities
Ÿ Consultancy Services
Ref: NSIL Website; NSIL’s SSLV Technical Brochure

56 TIP September 2021

 Space
Global Satellite Manufacturers: Manufacturers

An Indicative List
S
ince the launch of the first NITI Aayog member Dr V K Saraswat manufacture. ITCA’s incubated start-
satellite Sputnik-1 into an opined that small satellites would ups TMISat in Israel and TSC
elliptical low Earth orbit (LEO) in dominate the global space sector and Technologies in India have entered
1957, there are about 3,372 active revealed that 7000 small satellites this exciting area of nanosatellite
artificial satellites orbiting the Earth as were expected to be launched by manufacture and have been
of 1 January 2021. Industry analyst 2027, with a total value of USD 38 successful in achieving early
reports highlight that as of 16 billion. successes.
September 2021, about 1,400 new
New Space Era has created The following indicative compilation
satellites have already begun circling
opportunities for start-ups and highlights some of the leading
the Earth.
entrepreneurs to enter the exciting CubeSat and SmallSat companies that
At an industry event last September, area of CubeSat and nanosatellite have been in the news.

Organization Website
Adcole Maryland Aerospace https://www.adcolemai.com
Airbus Defence and Space https://www.airbus.com/space.html
Astroscale https://astroscale.com/
Boeing Defense, Space & Security https://www.boeing.com/space/
Endurosat https://www.endurosat.com/
GAUSS Srl https://www.gaussteam.com/
GomSpace https://gomspace.com/home.aspx
Harris Corporation https://www.l3harris.com/en-in/india?regional_redirect=en-in
Iceye https://www.iceye.com/
INVAP https://www.invap.com.ar/en/
ISIS (Innovative Solutions in Space) https://www.isispace.nl/
Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. https://www.iai.co.il/
JSC Information Satellite Systems http://www.iss-reshetnev.com/
Lockhed Martin Space https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en -us/capabilities/space.html
Maxar Space https://www.maxar.com/
Millennium Space Systems http://www.millennium-space.com/
NanoAvionics https://nanoavionics.com/
Northrop Grumman https://www.northropgrumman.com/space/
NSLComm, ISRAEL https://www.nslcomm.com/
OHB SE https://www.ohb.de/en/
OneWeb https://oneweb.net/
Planet Labs https://www.planet.com/
Pumpkin Space Systems https://www.pumpkinspace.com/
Raytheon https://www.raytheonintelligenceandspace.com/
Satixfy https://www.satixfy.com/
Spire https://spire.com/
Surrey Satellite Technologies https://www.sstl.co.uk/
Swarm https://swarm.space/
Thales Alenia Space https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/global/activities/space
TSC Technologies Pvt. Ltd https://tsctech.in/
Tyvak https://www.tyvak.com/

58 TIP September 2021

Intelligence, Surveillance and Upcoming Global
Reconnaissance Satellites Space Events

G
lobal space missions nations with limited resources
UK Space Conference - Virtual Event
contribute to focus on domestic
27 - 29 September 2021
significantly to development. With evolving
https://www.ukspace.org/event/uk-space-conference-2021
comprehensive socio- international political
economic goals besides scenarios, defence forces' International Communications Satellite
scientific capacity building demand for small satellites is Systems Conference (ICSSC)
and are extremely helpful for expected to progressively 27 - 30 September 2021, Arlington, Virginia, USA and virtual
increase, with military https://www.kaconf.com
national security and
organisations upgrading the
surveillance. With the rise in SATCOMS
capabilities of their satellites to
global threats and incidents, 27 September - 1 October 2021, London, UK
boost operational capabilities.
the way armed forces https://satcoms.theiet.org
execute their ISR operations Globally, several nations'
has evolved drastically. In military and defence Ka and Broadband Communications Conference
today's world of increasing departments are focused 28 - 30 September 2021, Arlington, Virginia, USA and virtual
global hardship, Intelligence, increasingly on deploying https://www.kaconf.com
Surveillance, and SmallSats for ISR capabilities.
Reconnaissance (ISR) is The US Department of SATCOMS
increasingly being utilised to Defense (DoD) has created a 27 September - 1 October 2021, London, UK
monitor in real-time battle committee to oversee small https://satcoms.theiet.org
satellite activities throughout
devastation while also
the department and services, The Space Summit
enabling foreign policy
with intentions to invest in 100 30 September - 1 October 2021, Boston, USA
measures to combat
small satellites (source https://selectbiosciences.com/conferences
terrorism. Real-time SATELLITE 2021 conference)
information sharing and CyberSatGov
prompt transmission of The Boeing Company, Israel 5 - 7 October 2021, Aerospace Corporation and
information acquired in the Aerospace Industries, Hyatt Regency Reston, Virginia, USA
field is vital to mission Northrop Grumman https://www.cybersatsummit.com/
accomplishment. The Corporation, ISS-Reshetnev, Satellite Innovation
growing relevance of SpaceX, Lockheed Martin 5 - 7 October 2021, Computer History Museum,
information-based military Corporation, Raytheon Silicon Valley, California, USA
Company, Thales Group, https://2021.satelliteinnovation.com
operations, as well as the
Mitsubishi Electric
huge need for real-time Space Tech Expo USA
Corporation, and GE Aviation
situational awareness, is 6 - 8 October 2021, Long Beach, California, USA
are the significant competitors
expected to drive the in the military satellites http://www.spacetechexpo.com
demand for (ISR) satellites in industry.
the future. As a result, this Space + Terrestrial - the IoT Connection
segment will make up the Given the increasing demand
7 October 2021, virtual event
bulk of worldwide military and necessity for national
https://www.century21comms.com
space-based spending security solutions, ISR systems
during the following for both surface and
NAB Show
underwater surveillance are
decades. 9 - 13 October 2021, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
being implemented. Many
https://www.nabshow.com
Because most modern governments worldwide have
surveillance systems have a had significant success by
SPACEtalks
limited operational life, the using modern ISR
19 October 2021, London, UK
military satellites sector is technologies such as satellite
https://www.spacetalks.biz
expected to spend more reconnaissance, unmanned
resources replacing older aerial systems, and sensor
International Symposium on Antennas and Propogation
space technology with platforms. These intelligence
and surveillance solutions
19 – 22 October 2021, virtual Event
newer ones. The industry is https://www.isap2021.org
also changing in response to come in various forms,
including optical, radar,
technological PocketQube Workshop
infrared, pictures, and
advancements, lower costs, 21 - 22 October 2021, TBD
electronic signals, and can be
and shorter manufacturing https://www.pocketqubeworkshop.com
sent via portable devices or
periods. Because of orbiting satellites.
breakthroughs in Space Generation Congress
miniaturisation, the cost of The worldwide military 21 - 23 October 2021, Dubai, UAE
building satellites has satellites market is anticipated https://spacegeneration.org
significantly dropped, allowing to reach $61.56 billion in 2025.

TIP September 2021 59

 Business
Space 4.0: Pathways for Business
Approach

Commercial Exploitation

T
he industrial revolution (Industry scale to observe the Earth will be The possible availability of
4.0) over the last few years is “instrumental in helping address global construction metals (metals, water,
influencing the space sector. challenges such as climate change etc.) in space on surfaces of planetary
The investments being made today to and furthering of scientific discovery bodies or asteroids provided an option
drive innovation in R&D and and innovation”. to use additive manufacturing to build
contemporary production processes colonies, settlements, and other
would generate wealth tomorrow and The value of data from space should
infrastructure elements without having
in the future. be assessed from the perspective of
to carry prefabricated structures out of
vendors in the public and private
the Earth's gravitational field. Use
The first era of space, ‘Space 1.0’, can domains who produce and consume
cases of AM can also include
be considered to be the early study of such data. With the satellite launch
manufacturing replacement
astronomy (the Sun, Moon, and stars). costs having reduced, access to
components in space, and recycling in
The next era, ‘Space 2.0’, came about satellite data becomes easier and
space, reducing the mass that must be
with rocket technology, development open to commercial markets, which in
carried from Earth.
of satellites and culminating in the race turn will usher in enhancement of the
for Moon landings in the 1960s. Space quality of our lives, improved safety While AM technology seems to have
3.0 emerged in the 1990s with the and preservation of the earth. immense potential, the challenges that
establishment of the International will need to be addressed are
Space Station and identification of Space is growing at a fast pace, and
qualification and certification of 3D
space as the global destination for co- we are likely to see more than 1200
manufactured space hardware to
operation and partnership. satellites being launched per year in
withstand harsh environments and
the next 3 years (2022-2025). While the
limited options for repair; availability of
Today, we are in the early years of positive news is that space is
electricity in spacecraft to drive 3D
Space 4.0, based on contemporary globalizing with more spacefaring
printing units; feasibility to automate
innovations and new space nations, the cautionary notice is that
3D printing processes for set-up,
applications that are democratizing space is getting crowded, and that
support, and post-processing as these
access of space for all citizens, and space could transition from a benign
rely on human participation.
with immense potential to drive global environment to a contested one.
growth. Some of the critical issues that will
Space additive manufacturing is likely
require a wider debate amongst the
Till a few years ago, space was to emerge as a game changer in
extended stakeholders include the
characterized by government Space 4.0 given its potential to enable
commitment to sustain investments in
spending: the high costs and the risks production of low-cost satellites,
space and satellite capabilities for
associated with space exploration lighter and efficient rockets to take
global benefits; methodologies to
restricted the sector to space agencies cargos into orbit, and facilitate human
protect the space environment;
of governments, and with minimal space travel. The recent achievements
architecture and development of
opportunities for private sector by global space players have brought
space systems for interoperability; and
participation. We are now seeing a in an era of commercial human space
methods to progress space operations
paradigm shift with the advent of travel.
in a sustainable manner.
contemporary technological advances
and a resurgent entrepreneurial spirit Additive manufacturing (AM) is a
To thrive on the challenges, we will
that is shaping a new space economy. critical technology as it enables
need to proactively progress initiatives
Space 4.0 is witnessing the entry of manufacturers to optimize weight of
on multiple fronts and addressing the
start-ups, entrepreneurs and private systems built to reach space. AM can
aspirations of all stakeholders. This
businesses, participation by academia, help in slashing the cost of commercial
would require a close integration of
and citizens, leveraging the space activities by pushing the
the society and economy built on a
overarching structure of digitalisation envelope to develop advanced
solid foundation of innovation in
and global interaction. materials, replace metals hitherto used
science and technology.
in spaceborne systems, and promote
According to Microsoft the processing the use of high-performance polymers
of data collected from space at cloud- and composites.

TIP September 2021 61

 Tel Aviv, Israel

A platform for
FUND RAISING
ENGINEERING CONSULTING
and EMBRACING SPACE INGENUITY

PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION Fund Aggregator for India’s 75 Satellites Mission