Watch this space for lift-off in that space

Governments are increasingly turning to the private sector for dominance in space. The strategic intent that drove the earlier space race has yielded to commercial considerations, as the prospects and economics of colonising the solar system improve. SpaceX, owned by Elon Musk, has made two breakthroughs in space travel. Its rockets have powered Nasa's latest mission to the moon with an ultimate aim of mining it. And trials of reusable rockets have reached a stage where they can seriously lower the cost of placing satellites in Earth's orbit. This second development is of considerable interest to India, one of the few nations that have demonstrated capabilities in launching payloads in terrestrial orbit as well as in interplanetary missions. New Delhi wants to leverage this capacity to tap into the business possibilities that are opening up in the space sector.

India last year bifurcated its space programme in order to allow Isro to focus on research, and NewSpace India to commercialise technology. Another agency, IN-SPACe, is tasked with ensuring continuity as access to dual-use technology eases for consumer industries such as telecommunications. Earlier this year, GoI announced a liberalised foreign investment regime for manufacture and delivery of payloads. India, of course, is not alone in seeking to draw more private capital into the ecosystem in order to cut reliance on public funding of its space programme. The world over, commercial interest in space is driving satellite and rocket technology.

The immediate business case for the space sector is telecommunications, in which another Musk company, Starlink, has a significant presence. Starlink has sought permission from India to offer satellite-based internet services in the country. This benefits the Indian space sector directly by drumming up business for commercial satellite launches, and indirectly by possibly gaining access to cost-efficient rocket technology. A buy-in from Musk could provide India's commercial space industry a considerable leg-up.