MAJOR MILESTONES
In 2014, India became the first Asian nation to reach Mars with its Mangalyaan orbiter. Hailed for its low cost, that mission put India in a small club including the United States, Russia and the European Union. And in 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed India as a “space superpower” after it shot down a low-orbiting satellite, a move prompting criticism for the amount of “space junk” it created. India is also working to boost its two per cent share of the global commercial space market. In October, Isro’s heaviest rocket yet successfully put 36 broadband satellites in low earth orbit.
Experts say India can keep costs low by copying and adapting existing space technology, and thanks to an abundance of highly skilled engineers who earn a fraction of their foreign counterparts’ wages. India is also working on its $1.4 billion Gaganyaan mission, the country’s first manned space exploration. The country plans a moon landing by July after its previous attempt in 2019 failed. India will launch a rover to analyse crust samples for signs of water and helium-3. The isotope is limited on Earth, but so abundant on the moon that it could meet global energy demands for 250 years if harnessed.