Science Applications International Corp. has won a $574.5 million task order to help the U.S. Space Force update and sustain a global network of ground-based radar systems.
Space Systems Command received four bids for the cost-plus-incentive-fee contract via a competitive acquisition and is obligating $43.8 million in fiscal 2023 operations and maintenance funds on the award, the Department of Defense said Tuesday.
SAIC will perform the sensor sustainment and modification work in Colorado and other undisclosed locations, with an estimated completion date of March 24, 2030.
Space Force used ground-based radar infrastructure to identify and detect missile threats, monitor the low-Earth orbit and track deep space objects.
Northrop Grumman helped maintain the sensors for the past five years under an $866 million contract the U.S. Air Force announced in June 2018.
SatSure has closed a Series A round of $15 million in equity capital and venture debt.
The round has been led by Baring Private Equity Partners (BPEP), India and Promus Ventures, with participation from Omidyar Network India, and xto10X.
With this investment, SatSure’s plans of launching a fleet of four high resolution optical and multispectral satellites continues to be on track for Q4, 2025.
Founded in 2017, SatSure leverages satellite imagery and AI to deliver decision intelligence from space, translating to valuable insights for various industries, including agriculture, banking, and critical infrastructure.
The fresh round of financing will also be used by the company to accelerate product innovation and expand its operations across the Americas and Asia-Pacific regions.
Along with the lead investors, this round also saw the participation of existing investors Force Ventures, Luckbox Ventures, and IndigoEdge Advisors.
The closure of this round follows the strategic investments which SatSure received from the top private sector Indian banks, announced earlier in February, 2023.
SatSure’s decision analytics are powering greater profitability, improved operational efficiency, and effective policy decision making for its customers, with the convergence of satellite data and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Current use cases which the firm caters to are spread across enabling farmer financial inclusion, improved debt service management in the rural areas, mortgage loan monitoring, enabling agrichemicals hyperlocal sales intelligence and distribution strategy, aeronautical data management, vegetation monitoring for utilities, construction change detection, and commodities procurement intelligence, to name a few.
SatSure expressed enthusiasm about the investment closure, with Prateep Basu, Founder & CEO stating, “We are thrilled to have such a great group of investors, who are supporting us in the journey towards becoming a full stack Earth observation data player. We are committed to expand our outreach, invest in Low-earth orbit satellite assets, and continue developing innovative products that signifies the rise of the India private space sector and its deep rooted alignment to our national space program.”
“SatSure is building deep technology expertise and solving tough problems. Our continued confidence in the company’s vision is built on the global customer traction, a very talented team, and the large markets they are opening up through their product and business innovation,” said Arul Mehra, Partner at BPEP, India, which had also led SatSure’s pre-series A round in October, 2021.
Promus Ventures, a leading venture capital firm investing in DeepTech and based in Chicago, San Francisco and Luxembourg, is known for its investments in DeepTech early-stage companies, including Space and AI. Pierre Festal, Partner at Promus Ventures said, “Promus Ventures’ investment in SatSure is a testament to our confidence in the company’s capabilities and the tremendous potential of geospatial analytics for scaling globally. We are excited to partner with SatSure and support their expansion into new markets while fostering innovation in the space industry.”
Microsoft and Accenture have partnered to use artificial intelligence (AI) technology to tackle methane emissions from the oil and gas industry.
The partnership will use Microsoft’s Azure cloud computing platform and Accenture’s expertise in AI and energy to develop a solution that can detect, quantify, and remediate methane leaks.
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that is 25 times more effective at trapping heat than carbon dioxide. It is estimated that methane emissions from the oil and gas industry account for about 20% of all human-caused methane emissions.
The AI solution developed by Microsoft and Accenture will use a variety of sensors to collect data on methane emissions. This data will then be analyzed by AI models to identify and quantify leaks. The solution will also be able to recommend remediation strategies to reduce or eliminate methane emissions.
The partnership between Microsoft and Accenture is a significant step forward in the fight against climate change. By using AI technology, the partners can help to reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas industry, which will have a positive impact on the environment.
Members of EuroGeographics, the not-for-profit association for European National Mapping, Cadastral and Land Registration authorities, and the International Cartographic Association (ICA) have announced a new international collaboration to demonstrate the power of location.
As a result, they will focus on advocating for the widespread use of information about location by promoting its social, environmental and economic value in solving global issues.
Colin Bray, President of EuroGeographics, said: “As the national authorities for official high-value geospatial information in Europe, high quality and reliability is the calling card of EuroGeographics members. In an ever-changing world, they play a key role in helping to address global and regional issues that extend beyond borders.”
“This requires cooperation to ensure an effective collective response. We are therefore delighted to announce a closer collaboration with the ICA on activities of mutual interest. By sharing opportunities for knowledge exchange and best practice, we will further support our vision of a society empowered by the use of trusted geospatial services.”
Tim Trainor, ICA President added: “We are delighted to have signed a letter of collaboration with EuroGeographics. By working together, our two Associations can contribute to the understanding and solution of world problems by ensuring our respective expertise is employed to maximum effect and full potential for the benefit of society.”
“We look forward to collaborating with Europe’s official sources of national geospatial data to demonstrate the use of Cartography and GI science in decision-making processes and fostering the national and international use of geospatially referenced environmental, economic and social information.”
Modern city with wireless network connection and city scape concept.Wireless network and Connection technology concept with city background at night.; Shutterstock ID 1521307229; Purchase Order: Viewpoint November 2019; Job: Viewpoint November 2019; Client/Licensee: KISEQ
VertiGIS, a solution provider and software developer in the field of geographic information systems (GIS) and spatial asset management, announced it has acquired ibR Gesellschaft für Geoinformation mbH (ibR).
VertiGIS also announced a new business unit for land management which combines its expertise across the DACH region—comprising Germany, Austria and Switzerland—as well as a Berlin-based Innovation Center for SaaS/cloud development to serve its expanding customer base.
Based in Bonn, ibR specializes in GIS systems for cadaster and surveying. It shares a vision with VertiGIS for the evolution of land management enabled through modern GIS software delivery.
“We feel our existing customers and new ones will benefit greatly from the enhanced capabilities ibR brings us,” said Andy Berry, VertiGIS’s CEO. “With both companies’ decades of experience in the fields of cadaster, surveying and land development, we feel extremely well-positioned to help accelerate additional digital innovation for our customers, and specifically to expand VertiGIS’ industry-specific solutions for land management. This is a cornerstone of our global business.”
“I am delighted that the complementary strengths of both companies are being combined and that we can work together as a team to support municipalities and public authorities in generating added value from their GIS data. In this way, we can help to further accelerate digitalization in Germany,” says Dr Hans-Gerd Riemer, CEO of ibR.
Precisely, a global company in data integrity announced its membership to the Overture Maps Foundation. Founded by Amazon Web Services (AWS), Meta, Microsoft, and TomTom in 2022, the foundation recently launched its first worldwide open map dataset to the market, based on the shared data and knowledge of its network of members.
As a contributing member, Precisely will provide vital location intelligence and data enrichment expertise to simplify interoperability between different datasets. This will allow organizations around the world to freely access geospatial data and spatial analytics, and ultimately, drive exciting new advancements in geospatial technology.
“As the requirements for accuracy, recency, and attribution in maps have grown to meet user needs, the costs and complexities of collecting and maintaining global map data have grown beyond the capability of any single entity,” said Marc Prioleau, Executive Director at the Overture Maps Foundation. “We are excited to welcome Precisely to the foundation and look forward to working with them to enable a level playing field wherein baseline, high-quality, mapping data and a global catalogue of associated data are freely accessible to everyone.”
Precisely will provide its wealth of location intelligence and data enrichment experience to the foundation’s Global Entity Reference System (GERS) that simplifies data exchange by creating a persistent shared identifier for geospatial entities. With a proven history in developing its own geospatial identifier, the PreciselyID, the data integrity expert is well positioned to help inform the program.
“At Precisely, we have over 30 years of experience in building, managing, and supporting the use of location information in the business environment,” said Dan Adams, Senior Vice President – Data Strategy and Operations at Precisely. “We are excited to be a member of the Overture Maps Foundation and collaborate on the critical work being done to facilitate access to next-level mapping – powered by trusted geospatial data.”
After success in Space Technology, will Geospatial & Mapping Technology be the next frontier for India?
India will soon host the G20 leaders’ summit in New Delhi for the first-time. The G20, or Group of Twenty, is an intergovernmental forum of the world’s 20 major developed and developing economies; it is the premier forum for international economic cooperation. Integral to the theme of India’s G20 presidency – One Earth, One Family, One Future – is the principle of “data for development”, as announced by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi at the closing session of the G20 summit in Bali last year.
The Chandrayaan landing on the moon is a huge success of India’s vision and focus on space technology. The program’s success is an excellent showcase of how countries from around the world can collaborate to exchange data and technology for success and growth.
However, the effective use of data requires more than just collecting and analysing it. For the G20 to truly move the needle on conversations around global sustainable growth, it must discuss turning data – including geospatial data – into intelligence and leveraging it for India to stay competitive.
Embarking on a journey to foster national innovation with data
India is at the cusp of a data revolution. During the Union Budget 2023-2024 held earlier this year, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled the formation of a National Data Governance Policy (NGDP) aimed at providing academia and start-ups with anonymised data. Under this policy, the Indian government can sell anonymised public data sets – not containing personal information – to researchers, start-ups and companies.
The same applies to geospatial and location data. Speaking at the inaugural session of the United Nations World Geospatial Information Congress (UNWGIC) in India last October, PM Modi said geospatial data and technology is a tool for inclusion in India, and that it has helped drive progress.
Geospatial and mapping technologies have become a common thread to optimise and bring in efficiencies, including using these technologies to drive economic growth across businesses. The use of location data is already transforming supply chains from reactive to predictive, and enabling autonomous and electric vehicle development to make big strides.
The G20 is an ideal platform to put together a common Geospatial and Mapping Program that can further drive adoption of these technologies and data sharing among member countries. It will help in sharing knowledge and technology transfer within G20 Countries.
Opportunity to lead the world with a common geospatial and mapping program
India strives to be a world leader in the global geospatial space. By liberalising the use of geospatial data under the National Geospatial Policy in December 2022, the country is ensuring more local players to be included in the field, and in turn increase the competitiveness of Indian companies in the global geospatial market.
Enhancing the country’s geospatial readiness and data quality is fundamental for the realisation of a ‘Digital India’, and the Indian government has emphasised on “Make in India, Make for World” – focusing on locally available data, maps, and geospatial data.
With a common Geospatial and Mapping Program, organizations from G20 countries will be able to work in tandem with each other to build state-of-the-art solutions. This will not only ensure success and growth of economy but also create a common geospatial data exchange platform between G20 countries.
Like in space technology, India should now take the lead to open India’s Geospatial Policy regulations so that geospatial and mapping players from around the world can collect, process, publish, and host high accuracy and high-definition maps. it’s important to understand that maps today are sophisticated with widespread beneficial implications across many different verticals. Stronger collaboration with more established players from G20 countries would most certainly help boost the Indian economy.
For example, Geospatial and Mapping players from across G20 member countries could partner with universities, educational institutions, and the local communities to help realise the true value of this technology and equip various sectors of the economy with geospatial skills. In the long term, this will add more value and set up a future-ready geospatial industry in India.
Showcasing India’s digital future
Data is the backbone of development in the digital era. Throughout the past few years, India has shown the world its progress in leveraging data to revolutionise India. We’ve seen this applied to the country’s pandemic response, efforts towards greater financial inclusion such as the country’s Unified Payment Interface (UPI), healthcare, and more.
With India’s current G20 presidency, this is an opportunity for the country to demonstrate how the intelligent use of geospatial data is beneficial to sustainable growth. A common Geospatial & Mapping program with right governance model would play a vital role for economic growth in G20 countries and help further drive the theme of G20 Summit – One Earth, One Family, One Future!
In today’s era of governance and progress, the utilization of information has become pivotal. The ability to capture, analyze and utilize data has revolutionized the way nations approach development, planning and decision making. The GeoGov Conference, centred on the theme “Advancing the Nation’s Geospatial Infrastructure in Partnership for National Development“, serves as a platform for discussing how geospatial infrastructure, in collaboration with various stakeholders, can propel a nation towards comprehensive development.
Unveiling the Power Within: The Geospatial Revolution
Geospatial data goes far beyond than maps; it includes a range of information that is geographically referenced. From satellite imagery and topographic data to insights and infrastructure mapping, this information forms a tapestry that governments can utilize to make well informed decisions. Technological advancements have facilitated the creation of real time maps that highlight aspects such as transportation networks, land use patterns, environmental trends and disaster response planning. The GeoGov Conference will shine a light on how this revolution empowers governments to make choices that benefit their citizens.
A Collaborative Approach for Progress: Building Partnerships
At the core of the conference theme lies an emphasis, on partnerships. The challenges and opportunities that come with infrastructure are too immense for any single entity to tackle on their own. It requires the efforts of governments, private sector players, research institutions and civil society organizations to fully harness the potential of data. We can achieve data standardization, improve data collection methods and develop applications that benefit various sectors such, as agriculture, urban planning, and healthcare and disaster management.
Geospatial Infrastructure and Sustainable Development
Sustainable development is a goal that heavily relies on the availability and accuracy of data. In this conference we will explore how geospatial insights contribute to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). From monitoring deforestation and managing water resources to tracking growth and promoting renewable energy, geospatial infrastructure equips decision makers with the necessary tools to create effective policies that are also environmentally responsible.
Unlocking Economic Opportunities
Geospatial data is not only valuable for governments, but it also holds great economic potential. Location based services, spatial analytics and geospatial intelligence are driving innovation and economic growth across industries. Through showcasing case studies and exploring emerging trends, this conference aims to highlight the ways in which businesses can leverage geospatial insights to create new revenue streams while enhancing efficiency.
The Road Ahead: Policy and Investment
When we talk about advancing infrastructure, it’s crucial to address the policies and investments that support its growth. At the GeoGov Conference, policymakers will come together to discuss how we can create regulations that promote data sharing, privacy and security. Additionally, they will emphasize the importance of investing in technology, infrastructure and education to develop a workforce capable of maximizing the benefits of these advancements.
To Summarize
As our world becomes more interconnected and complex, geospatial infrastructure plays a vital role in shaping development. The GeoGov Conference is an opportunity for experts, policymakers and visionaries to gather and exchange ideas. Together, they can forge collaborations, and pave the way for harnessing data towards a brighter future. By focusing on advancing infrastructure through partnerships for development, this conference ensures that informed decisions are driven by valuable geospatial insights, which, in turn, leads to progress and inclusive growth.
Australian space imagery startup, HEO has completed an $8 million Series A funding round.
HEO’s vision is focused on leveraging space-based sensors to inspect and image objects in orbit. This technology not only aids in enhancing our understanding of space debris and satellite movements but also mitigates potential threats posed by hazardous objects in space.
This Series A funding round marks a crucial milestone in the company’s journey to revolutionize the field of non-Earth imagery and satellite-to-satellite imaging. The round was spearheaded by Airtree Ventures, an Australian venture capital firm known for supporting groundbreaking initiatives.
Joining Airtree Ventures were several other prominent investors, including Salus VC, Y Combinator, In-Q-Tel, David Harding, and Steve Baxter. Their combined investment signifies a resounding vote of confidence in HEO’s technological prowess and its potential to transform the space industry.
HEO operates at the cutting edge of non-Earth imagery by harnessing its proprietary software platform. Unlike conventional methods that rely on dedicated inspector satellites, HEO partners with established space companies to integrate its software platform into their imaging satellites. This unique approach allows HEO to access and analyze data from a network of 39 space sensors, including those from partner companies like Satellogic and Axelspace.
A notable example of HEO’s capabilities is the enhancement of an image of the International Space Station captured in mid-2022. By applying its advanced software, HEO was able to clarify and refine the image, demonstrating the potential of its technology.
HEO provides its customers, which include commercial satellite operators and government agencies, with invaluable insights into space object characterization. This information is pivotal in avoiding collisions with debris objects and identifying potential hazards, ultimately safeguarding critical space assets.
Advexure, one of North America’s drone solutions providers, and Aerobotics, a precision agriculture analytics company, are thrilled to announce their strategic partnership to present the DJI Mavic 3 Multispectral & Aerobotics Aeroview Package.
Equipped with a 4/3″ CMOS 20MP RGB camera and a 4-band 5MP multispectral camera, the DJI Mavic 3 Multispectral unlocks the ability to capture both RGB and multispectral data in tandem, rendering a clear, comprehensive view of crop health and vigour. With flight times averaging 36-42 minutes, growers can map hundreds of acres in a day. Each image captures essential solar irradiance details, ensuring accurate vegetation indices.
“The DJI M3M has opened the doors to countless new operators in the agriculture industry due to its ease of use, compact size, and affordability. Now tie that in with the leading software for permanent crop analytics, and you have an incredibly simple solution that brings tremendous value for those growers,” remarked Cody Thomas, VP of Business Development at Advexure.
When integrated with the Aeroview® platform, these high-resolution images can be transformed into actionable insights. The web-based Aeroview® dashboard offers farmers plant-level insights, spatially visualized scouting findings, high-resolution map layers, and an array of tools to optimize agricultural operations. Whether it’s monitoring plant health (NDRE), vigour (NDVI), tree inventory information, or tree canopy size, the combined strength of Mavic 3M and Aeroview® provides a holistic view of an orchard’s health, positioning farmers for maximum yield.
James Paterson, Aerobotics CEO, shared, “Aerobotics is excited to announce the launch of a new package, combining the DJI M3M drone with our leading per tree data and crop analytics. This solution provides growers all over the world with access to a cost-effective precision agriculture solution, giving growers the ability to monitor and track each tree on the farm, and the tools to action the data in the field.”
Gati Shakti is a digital platform that brings together 16 government ministries to plan and implement infrastructure connectivity projects in a coordinated manner. The platform integrates different modes of transport, such as roads, railways, airways, and waterways, to provide seamless connectivity for the movement of people, goods, and services. This will facilitate the last-mile connectivity of infrastructure and reduce travel time for people.
“The foundation of PM Gatishakti rests on recognizing the advantages that can be harnessed through GIS adoption and reaping them for the betterment of society”, says Dr Surendra Ahirwar, Joint Secretary, Logistics & Trade, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, GoI in an exclusive interview.
What are the challenges confronting India’s infrastructure, and how does the PM Gati Shakti master plan aim to address them?
The foremost challenge within India’s infrastructure realm is its insufficiency. This deficiency can be attributed to inadequate investment, deficient planning, and under-utilization of available technological resources, including digital, construction, and automation technologies.
A significant issue revolves around the lack of substantial investments or sufficient allocation of public funds. These challenges converge into the realm of project governance and infrastructure planning. This entails evaluating the existing infrastructure deficit, procuring funds from private or public sources for infrastructure development, embracing appropriate technologies, and ensuring efficient planning.
Each of these facets fall under the umbrella of governance. To surmount the hurdles associated with these aspects, leveraging technology emerges as a comprehensive solution. Notably, geospatial technology has proven especially effective, providing substantial solutions to a majority of these challenges. Consequently, the adoption of the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, a Geographical Information System (GIS) platform, has been instrumental.
This platform amalgamates data concerning physical assets both above and below ground across the nation. Additionally, it integrates demographic and socioeconomic data, as well as geographical features commonly found on maps.
The very foundation of PM Gatishakti rests on recognizing the potential advantages that can be harnessed through the adoption of GIS technology. Consequently, we are driven by the anticipation of reaping these advantages for the betterment of society. The integration of these diverse data sets facilitates a significant shift from subjective decision-making by individuals to objective data-driven decision-making.
By making decisions grounded in data, the plan garners greater acceptance and leads to more optimized infrastructure development at cost-effective rates. The PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan effectively tackles numerous challenges, thereby contributing to a substantial enhancement of India’s infrastructure landscape.
What progress has been achieved thus far under the PM National Gatishakti plan?
Remarkable strides have been taken in advancing the PM National Gatishakti plan. Following its launch in October 2021, swift action was taken, and work commenced in earnest by December of the same year.
The foundation laid by the PM Gatishakti National Master Plan, encompassing digital infrastructure, organizational structure, and widespread promotion, was quickly utilized.
The progress can be quantified through several key factors. First and foremost is the development of a comprehensive digital platform at the national level. This platform harmoniously integrates state-level master plan portals for all 36 states and Union Territories. Additionally, approximately 30 ministries have established their own planning portals, seamlessly connected to the national platform.
Over 60 specialized planning tools, designed not only for the national master plan but also for individual state plans, have been crafted to address the specific requirements of ministries, states, and sectors. Regarding administrative arrangements, the Empowered Group of Secretaries was promptly established as the highest-level policy-making body, led by the Cabinet Secretary.
Crucially, this entity was integrated into existing governance structures to ensure operational efficiency and minimize financial burdens. This integration serves the dual purpose of avoiding additional resource strain and fostering maximum participation from established government entities.
Furthermore, the Network Planning Group, comprising planning heads from seven infrastructure ministries, has been created to facilitate informed decision-making. This group is supported by a Technical Support Unit comprising 14 industry experts with expertise spanning various sectors, including GIS, railways, roadways, waterways, IT, project financing, and law. This unit collaborates with seven directors from different ministries, functioning as a secretariat for both the Network Planning Group and the Empowered Group of Secretaries.
Efforts in information dissemination have been significant, with all stakeholders, including central government ministries, infrastructure and social sectors, and states and Union Territories, being educated about PM Gatishakti and the potential of GIS technology in addressing infrastructure challenges.
The outcome of these efforts is evident in the creation of an extensive digital infrastructure, housing approximately 1600- 1700 data layers across various platforms. With 41 ministries on board, encompassing social, economic, and infrastructure sectors, the adoption of GIS technology and the PM Gatishakti concept is gaining traction.
However, challenges remain, particularly in optimizing the quality and quantity of data integrated into the GIS platform, and in developing increasingly customized and efficient planning tools to enhance user adoption.
Over 60 specialized planning tools, designed not only for the national master plan but also for individual state plans have been crafted to address the specific requirements of ministries, states, and sectors.
States have embraced the initiative as well, with all states and Union Territories establishing similar administrative structures, including Empowered Group of Secretaries, Network Planning Groups, and Technical Support Units. Furthermore, the Ministry of Finance has introduced a scheme for special assistance to states for capital expenditure, stipulating that infrastructure projects planned under this scheme must be aligned with the PM Gatishakti platform.
This concerted effort is poised to drive substantial adoption of GIS technology and solution implementation by states, effectively contributing to the realization of the PM National Gatishakti plan’s objectives.
Given that various ministries rely on geospatial data, how pivotal is the coordination between different ministries for better integration of infrastructure projects?
The key to effective coordination lies in the successful dissemination of the concept. Once the idea is embraced, coordination naturally follows. We have effectively communicated the concept to stakeholders, who have eagerly embraced it as a viable solution to their challenges. Our approach doesn’t demand anything from them; instead, we are positioned to assist and support.
As a result, they view the National Master Plan (NMP) as a means to resolve their issues, making coordination a straightforward process. They are proactively seeking our guidance and support, thereby establishing a collaborative and supportive environment. Enhancing the adoption of this technology requires another crucial coordination mechanism, facilitated by the digital platform itself.
The platform has digitized coordination, fostering continuous and comprehensive communication among various planning portals connected to the national platform. Effective coordination hinges on seamless communication, a role that the platform consistently fulfils.
Any communication obstacles are promptly addressed, thanks to the platform’s ability to identify and notify us of any issues. A response team, comprising system operators, administrators, and ourselves, ensures swift resolution. Notably, substantial hindrances to coordination have not emerged in our experience.
What are the socioeconomic advantages of the Gatishakti plan?
The socioeconomic benefits of the PM Gatishakti plan are indeed substantial and exclusively positive. This initiative has been conceived and executed with a clear focus on generating benefits for society at large. The very foundation of PM Gatishakti rests on recognizing the potential advantages that can be harnessed through the adoption of GIS.
Foremost among these benefits is the direct impact on infrastructure development. The aspiration for well-equipped, interconnected, and efficient infrastructure is at the core of this plan. Addressing infrastructure deficits and enhancing quality infrastructure translates into seamless movement of people and goods. This, in turn, fosters a more conducive environment for business operations, ultimately leading to reduced costs and an improved quality of life.
Meticulous planning of projects also optimizes costs, offering a prudent approach to resource utilization. Indirectly, the socioeconomic advantages are far-reaching. By implementing PM Gatishakti, the tax burden on the populace can be alleviated. As resources remain more accessible to individuals, the government’s share in the form of taxes is proportionately reduced, granting citizens greater financial flexibility and autonomy.
Notably, the plan’s scope extends beyond the economic domain, encompassing the social sector as well. The integration of 22 social sector ministries into the initiative amplifies its impact. By extending the benefits of efficient infrastructure planning and deficit identification to sectors like women and child development, family welfare, tribal welfare, and healthcare, the plan ensures a more balanced and equitable distribution of resources. This facet further contributes to the enhancement of societal well-being.
In essence, the PM Gatishakti plan underscores a holistic approach to socioeconomic advancement, leveraging technology, efficient planning, and equitable distribution of resources to create a more prosperous and inclusive society.
What are the challenges currently faced by the PM Gatishakti plan, and what steps have stakeholders initiated to advance the development of resilient infrastructure?
Our primary endeavour revolves around amassing a comprehensive dataset. This encompasses not only GIS-related information but also asset attributes, which encompass dynamic data. While GIS typically pertains to unchanging physical structures, it’s vital to consider the dynamic elements associated with each fixed asset.
GIS typically pertains to unchanging physical structures, so it’s vital to consider the dynamic elements associated with each fixed asset. For instance, a building’s nomenclature can shift over time. Hence, we are dedicated to seamlessly integrating dynamic data to its fullest extent.
For instance, a building’s nomenclature can shift over time. Hence, we are dedicated to seamlessly integrating dynamic data to its fullest extent. By incorporating this dynamic data, the effectiveness and efficiency of the National Master Plan (NMP) can be significantly amplified. This reservoir of dynamic data facilitates a comprehensive market assessment that spans historical, current, and future perspectives.
Armed with this valuable insight, we can construct diverse scenarios and accordingly devise strategic infrastructure plans. This progressive approach seamlessly aligns with the natural evolution of the PM Gatishakti initiative, propelling it forward toward its intended goals of fostering resilient and robust infrastructure.
Are there any additional initiatives in progress?
Indeed, we are actively pursuing a few other initiatives. Apart from our focus on infrastructure planning, we have extended our scope to encompass the social sector. This expansion entails delving into not just economic infrastructure, but also the realm of social infrastructure.
Additionally, we are exploring the feasibility of devising area development plans utilizing the same technology and conceptual framework. While we have made considerable progress, there remain certain aspects that require further attention. Specifically, we are committed to refining our infrastructure-related data.
This involves enhancing the completeness, quality, and comprehensiveness of the data at hand, including its dynamic aspects. While a substantial portion of our data is of commendable quality, we recognize the importance of optimizing these facets. By accomplishing this, we anticipate effectively formulating area development plans.
Our comprehensive approach now integrates both economic and social infrastructure planning, culminating in a holistic framework for socio-economic area planning. This marks our ongoing trajectory towards comprehensive and integrated development.
India will soon get the know-how to build GE aircraft engine in Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. This is a significant deal involving several high technology intellectual property rights, whose protection and safety will be of prime concern. However, this will not be something new.
Infotech Enterprises, now Cyient, a company promoted by Shri B V R Mohan Reddy entered into collaboration with Pratt & Whitney around early 2000s for software services, solutions and engineering services for their aircraft engine products.
Over the 23 years, Cyient has delivered similar services to many big companies, managing the contentious issues of intellectual property rights quite well.
This is just a quick view of one of the critical issues elaborated in the book by B V R Mohan Reddy, the founder-chairman of Cyient, who is a pioneer of engineering design outsourcing services in India.
Dr. Reddy was conferred with Padma Shri in 2017 for his distinguished contribution to trade and industry.
The book traces his story from a typical Indian middle-class beginning to heading a billion-dollar corporation.
His early background would be quite familiar to many Indians – emphasis on education, premier engineering degree, a decent job, settled family life, etc. But his entrepreneurial ambition took him from the well-trodden path to take the road less taken.
This is the story that the book recounts in amazing detail and clarity, with a deep analysis of each step he has taken.
Just like every kid who aspires to be a bus driver, Dr. Reddy’s childhood dream was to be a road roller engineer, perhaps highlighting his precocious fascination with heavy machinery and engineering.
After completing his studies, he took up a job with a view to work in each branch of industry, from manufacturing to sales to grasp the complete view that an entrepreneur needs.
He worked on Refrigeration, EDP, and Sales. Taking time off from work, he pursued an MS in Industrial Operations and Management from the University of Michigan, where he sits on the leadership advisory board today.
Inspired by the legendary Raj Reddy, the first Asian to win the coveted Turing Prize, touted to be the ‘Computer Science Nobel’ and a pioneer of AI and robotics research, he headed a new joint sector company, OMC Computers.
This opened up the digital world of CAD, CAM and CAE, giving a direction to his entrepreneurial dreams.
Starting from his home dining room based CAD digitization for GM’s Electromotive division, Infotech Enterprises moved towards map digitization. There were many hiccups from a broken dining table to digitizing maps without understanding map projections.
However, what’s noteworthy is that each time a recovery was mounted domain experts were brought in to cover the knowledge gap. The book covers the successful journey of Infotech Enterprises from the recounting of the growing pains, the acknowledgment of quality work, and on-time delivery. The growth story included finding partners and losing them without rancor.
The journey was always onwards and upwards, expanding into new frontiers and territories – pure IT services, software development, engineering design and beyond.
As the company grew, it ventured boldly into overseas M&A, Engineering services with Pratt & Whitney, Bombardier and many other new verticals.
The second part of the book looks at many aspects of running an MNC, covering the importance of good processes, quality and the need for certification. It also looks at the need to be customer- centric and focusing on developing, nurturing and retaining people as they are the most valuable asset of a company. Indeed a family like atmosphere and care goes a long way in a fruitful professional association.
The book also delves into the need for a flexible business strategy and the need to continuously transform to move with the times. This need a level of thinking way beyond mundane everyday details. The book extolls the value of thrift at all times, particularly when a company goes public.
How to handle crisis is well covered in Chapter 15 of part two with plenty of examples. The last chapter covers the importance of ensuring sustainability in terms of growth and management of a company as it matures and moves into the future.
There are many books by management gurus, but this one is by a technocrat who has dirtied and sometimes burnt his hands, while diving into actual practice and learning valuable lessons, making it appealing as well as educative to budding entrepreneurs and other aspirants and dreamers.
TomTom, the location technology specialist, announced a new partnership with StreetLight Data, a subsidiary of Jacobs and the leading Big Data company providing insights into how people, goods, and services move.
This partnership includes incorporating TomTom’s best-in-class global data into StreetLight’s growing line of cloud-based products that support transportation professionals with the most critical analytics, for any road and any mode.
The StreetLight InSight® platform transforms data into contextualized, normalized, and aggregated travel patterns. Through this partnership, StreetLight leverages TomTom’s historical and real-time traffic analytics based on anonymized speed data from more than 600 million connected devices. The result is deep global data coverage and a robust analytic platform that empowers planners and other transportation professionals with data driven insights to inform transportation and infrastructure projects of any size and scope.
“We are excited to partner with an industry leader like StreetLight to deliver reliable and scalable mobility measurement tools to address today’s complex transportation problems,” said Ralf-Peter Schäfer, Vice President for Traffic & Travel Information at TomTom. “By combining our data from millions of trips globally with StreetLight’s industry-tailored solutions, we enable transportation planners, road authorities and businesses to make informed, accurate decisions, thereby reducing congestion and improving mobility.”
“As StreetLight looks to expand into new products and geographies, we’re excited to partner with TomTom,” said Laura Schewel, StreetLight CEO and VP of Transportation Software at Jacobs. “TomTom offers a huge increase in sample size, rich data characteristics, and global reach. By integrating TomTom’s origin and destination trip information, we will open up powerful new solutions for our clients in infrastructure planning, combatting climate change and improving transportation for all.”
The optimum 3D-Stereo experience – full-time operations: The Schneider Digital 3D PluraView monitors feature optimized beam-splitter technology for the highest-quality stereoscopic rendering on the desktop. The passive Stereo-monitors are ideally suited for all stereo software applications in most major geospatial industries.
Corum announces that their client, Ireland-based, Spatialest, a provider of assessor-focused GIS-based SaaS solutions, was acquired by Align Capital Partners portfolio company Schneider Geospatial, LLC. The acquisition furthers Schneider Geospatial’s mission to transform government interactions with technology.
“We were pleased to be selected as Spatialest’s exclusive M&A advisor,” said Jon Scott Corum Group’s Chairman.
He went on to say, “The gov-tech solutions from Spatialest are very highly regarded by US counties and, combined with Schneider Geospatial, will help them broaden their reach even further. Spatialest’s CEO Ashley Moore and his team did an excellent job creating an industry leader.”
“Spatialest was happy to have partnered with Corum on our M&A journey. Our relationship began when we attended one of their live conferences and met Jon Scott in London and got an excellent overview of the process,” said Ashley Moore, Spatialest’s CEO.
He also said, “Jon and his team were extremely valuable in holding our hands through the process and especially diligence. Best of all, they brought several interested parties to the table, creating competitive tension and the best outcome for our shareholders.”
Corum is an educator on tech trends, valuations, growth strategies and Tech M&A. Corum will host a half-day workshop, Selling Up Selling Out, in London on September 28th. Tech CEOs and founders will learn to prepare, position, research, value, negotiate and execute due diligence for the maximum price and optimal structure in an M&A transaction.
Genesys has made significant traction on its Digital Twin Program showcasing a wide array of work over several cities over a short period of time. The company which has launched its Genesys Constellation comprising of State-of-the-art sensors, has collected 3D Digital Twin content in several cities of India as well as more than 3000 cities and towns of immersive level 360-degree panoramic street imagery.
It has built the largest manned aircraft capacity in India along with sensor capacity across bands – Aerial LiDAR, Optical nadir, oblique and Terrestrial panoramic imaging etc. These herald the coming of age of the Indian geospatial industry post the release of new geospatial policy.
The above was shown at the recently held GeoSmart conference wherein what is to be noted is the high level of technical capability shown by an Indian company reflecting the self-reliance ethos of the geospatial policy.
The Genesys platform showcased application areas in disaster management in Kochi, revenue management in the city of Kanpur, ecological sensitive zones in Mahabaleshwar, etc.
The Digital Twin platform represents the most sophisticated mapping technology and is considered a crucial component of the upcoming era of planning, operation and maintenance in a host of areas.
‘Digital Twin Strategy for Indian Infrastructure’ report that was released by Shri Nitin Gadkari, the Hon’ble Minister of Road Transport and Highways, at GeoSmart Infrastructure 2023 event is testimony to the fact that Genesys is working towards the same goal in realising the vision of National Digital Twin for India including that of PM Gatishakti program that includes layers of the assets of the infrastructure ministries like roads, railways, ports etc.
Sajid Malik, CEO, Genesys addressed the crowd at Geosmart Infrastructure 2023 saying “Digital Twin is a life-saving solution, in many cases such as railway corridor maintenance and preventing accidents. The utility of accurate data delivers immense value to citizens and is helpful in tracking ESG and sustainability measures as well. Digital Twin is a nascent technology! Mandating the adoption of digital technology is essential, as it saves time, improves efficiency and quality. This necessitates a widespread adoption of these digital technologies.”
India becomes the first country to soft-land on the moon’s South Pole. All previous landings have been near the moon’s equator. Let’s have a look at some interesting facts about the mission.
In this week’s bulletin, India’s Chandrayaan-3 successfully lands on Moon creating History. US Space Development Agency Awards $1.5 Billion for Transport Satellite. IBM Sells Weather Company to Equity Firm Francisco Partners. Sidus Space Acquires Edge AI Company, Exo-Space and Axiom Space Secures $350 Million in Funding to Develop Private Space Station.
In a conversation with Geospatial Artha, General Vijay Kumar Singh, PVSM, AVSM, YSM,(Retd.), the Union State Minister in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and Ministry of Civil Aviation, shares the vision and commitments of the ministry, future plans for India’s highway sector and the usage of geospatial technology in the development of India’s infrastructure.
In the past few years, a lot has been done to expand infra connectivity. India now has the second largest roadways network in the world, and highway connectivity extends to far-flung regions. What is the future focus of your ministry for the 75th year of independence and beyond?
We remain steadfast in our commitment to build world-class roads and highways in India, and to make road commute for the citizens faster, safer, and efficient. Access and connectivity is the fulcrum of socio-economic development as well as national cohesion, integration, and imbuing a sense of belonging.
India’s road network today, at 6,331,791 kms is world’s second largest, more than China and second only to the United States of America. We endeavour to expand roadways and national highways across the length and breadth of the country. Building road networks and highways as per the best of global standards is a key priority for the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).
In this Digital Era, technology is everywhere. We embed Information Technology and Geospatial Solutions for better stakeholder engagement, and offering hassle-free online services to the people. Through an investment of Rs10,000 crore, we aim to extend the highway length by more than 12,000 kms in the year 2023-2024. Enhancing road safety is also one of our core priorities. We are instituting signage standardization on leading expressways of the country, which would soon be extended to all the highways.
With 44 high-class expressways, road travel in India has been thoroughly reimagined. We have an enviable road and highway infra today that meets a lot of global qualitative benchmarks.
In line with PM Modi’s vision of inclusive development, we aim to promote green highways with participation of the community, farmers, private sector, and other government institutions.
Please give a brief overview of the state of Indian road infra network in terms of enabling access and opportunities?
In 2020-2021, despite the pandemic-induced slowdown, the average speed of National Highway construction was 37 km per day, which is more than 12,000 kms a year. We continue to build durable roads at a record-breaking pace, with the objective to build over 2 lakh kms of National Highways by 2025. Innovative schemes such as PM GatiShakti and Bharatmala Pariyojna are true game changers in infra connectivity that will unveil immense opportunities for a lot of sectors, improving the livelihood of the people.
Unified, multimodal, integrated transit that leaves no one behind is one ultimate objective. Over the years, we have infused a new breath of life to the country’s highways, which were plagued by a lack of private investment and maintenance. Through a participative approach, taking everyone along, and an unflagging attitude to quality, standards, and public safety we will extend connectivity to the remotest last mile.
Unified, multimodal, integrated transit that leaves no one behind is one ultimate objective. Over the years, we have infused a new breath of life to the country’s highways, which were plagued by a lack of private investment and maintenance.
At whopping $10 trillion, the outlay for Bharat Mala is already the largest in the world for any road construction. Earlier, high freight and logistic corridor cost often deterred investors and hobbled the enterprising capabilities of our talented youth. With the dynamism and ease of PM GatiShakti, all of that is soon going to be past.
Once the logistic costs in the country are progressively slashed, through multi-modal integration, it will give a tremendous boost to entrepreneurship and economic development.
Recently in a meeting with the Swedish Minister for Infrastructure and Housing, you discussed about cooperating with Sweden on air traffic management, rural connectivity and ways to reduce carbon footprints, please shed some light on the same.
India is planning to work with Sweden especially in enhancing connectivity in rural areas because both the countries are large and face similar challenges when it comes to connecting the remote places. To do that, India is planning to invest in infrastructure and aviation and develop electric airplanes or small planes run on biofuel for short-haul, which are in developing phase right now and will be in the market in the next five years. These small flights can have a range for 800 kilometers with the seating capacity of 25 passengers.
We are working to promote aviation in a sustainable way while connecting the rural areas. India is already investing in building new airports and increasing capacity, while looking for ways to reduce carbon emissions.
India has plans to develop 100 airports by 2024 under the Regional Connectivity scheme (RCS)- UDAN infrastructure scheme. Moreover, Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Guwahati, Ahmedabad, Mangaluru airports are being modernised and upgraded.
Airport Authority of India (AAI) and other airport operators have targeted capital outlay of approximately Rs98,000 crore in the airport sector across India by 2025 for the construction of Greenfield Airports and new terminals, expansion and modernization of existing terminals and strengthening of runways, among other activities. Out of this, more than Rs25000 crore capital expenditure is incurred by AAI and private airport operators and developers.
New airports will be developed in the next five years, which includes construction of Greenfield Airports at Navi Mumbai in Maharashtra, Vijayapura, Hassan and Shivamogga in Karnataka, Noida (Jewar) in Uttar Pradesh, Dholera and Hirasar in Gujarat and Bhogapuram in Andhra Pradesh.
How crucial is geospatial technology for your ministry?
Geospatial technologies have been playing a pivotal role in the development of highways, as well as, in up-keeping them. Technologies such as Earth Observation, GPS, Remote sensing, and UAV devices are aiding end-to-end construction, operations, and maintenance of highways.
The government has taken crucial steps to embed these technologies into the infrastructure projects around the country. We are now seeing GIS, 3D modelling and BIM, and drones being used ever-so-widely to streamline the workflow and bring efficiency.
For example, drones were extensively used during the construction phase of the Delhi- Meerut highway for site surveying, progress monitoring, and quality control.
These technologies collectively enable optimal route planning, real-time surveillance of road conditions, efficient asset management, and agile disaster responses. Ultimately, their integration yields a safer, well-organized, and adaptive highway network that caters to India’s evergrowing infrastructure demands.
What are the prerequisites for the successful adoption of geospatial technologies in the Indian highway construction industry especially under the framework of PM Gatishakti?
Though quite a few geospatial technologies have already found place in the Indian highway construction industry but there are still some challenges. For the successful adoption of geospatial technologies, we are addressing the challenges by creating digital awareness and pushing the stakeholder to improve their engagement.
We are using geospatial technologies to create a 3D model of the project that can be shared between all stakeholders, to allow better collaboration and coordination between all.
We are using geospatial technologies to create a 3D model of the project that can be shared between all stakeholders, to allow better collaboration and coordination between all.
Integrating on-site technology solutions with off-site platforms can transform the approach to infrastructure projects, benefiting all stakeholders.
Numerous efforts are being taken by the government on decarbonising, which include the adoption of alternative and flex fuels, green highways, airports running on renewable energy, hydrogen cell technology, and electric vehicles, and PM GatiShakti plan.
The standards are changing, and if we need to keep up with the type of goals that we have laid out, then we have to change our mindsets.
To ensure that India achieves the target of $5 trillion economy the country needs to invest 5 times more in infrastructure development. The government is looking into creating common utility corridors to ensure speedy transportation, lower fuel costs and cost effectiveness. PM GatiShakti caters to all the challenges which have been causing hindrance to the speedy development in the infrastructure sector, all under one roof.
Caption: The image above shows the signature of the fire at 10:25 p.m. local time on August 8, 2023, as observed by the Operational Land Imager (OLI) on the Landsat 8 satellite.
With more than two-thirds of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) off-track, high-quality, timely data to measure and monitor progress is more important than ever before. And to collect and produce this data, strong national statistical systems are needed. However, the SDGs present a complicated monitoring challenge for national governments.
Traditional data sources, such as official censuses and surveys, are often outdated and/or lacking data, which creates gaps in SDG reporting. As such, non-traditional data sources, including big data, citizen science, and Earth observation (EO) are becoming increasingly important to complement official statistics.
Adopting these innovative data sources will improve SDG monitoring, reporting, and progress, and will lead to better informed, data-driven decision making.
The State of SDG Data
The 17 SDGs include 231 indicators for tracking progress across 169 targets. While data exists for many of these indicators as reflected in the United Nations’ 2023 Sustainable Development Goals Report, which highlights that the number of indicators with good country coverage has increased from 36% in 2016 to 66% in 2022, many gaps still remain.
Currently, National Statistics Offices (NSOs) play a vital role in data collection, coordination, validation, and quality assurance for SDG monitoring. However, they face increasing demands for data from users while simultaneously contending with declining budgets and rising data collection costs.
More broadly, these data gaps are the result of a plethora of economic, social, and political factors, including limited financing, resources, and capacity, as well as climate change, conflict, the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and policy issues.
These data gaps affect countries of all income levels, and capacity building to collect and produce this data is critical. In order to bridge these gaps, innovative data sources like big data, citizen science, and EO are needed to provide more reliable and timely data for sustainable development monitoring, reporting, and implementation.
Filling Data Gaps With Non-Traditional Data Sources and Methods
Non-traditional data sources, especially big data, citizen science, and EO, are being more frequently used to improve data gaps. Big data, or large volumes of high velocity, complex, and variable data, can improve the timeliness and relevance of SDG indicators without compromising their impartiality and methodological soundness.
It encompasses different types of data like administrative, commercial, sensor, tracking or mobile phone data, and behavioral or opinion data. Countries using big data can improve the granularity of their official estimates while reducing production costs and respondent burden.
For example, mobile phone data was used during the COVID-19 pandemic to help governments track populations’ mobility and migration patterns. Ghana used mobile phone data to help deliver mobility insights and determine the efficacy of its lockdown measures, while South Korea used smartphone data in several of its cities to track individuals infected with the virus and map their contacts.
These examples illustrate how mobile phone data can be utilized more broadly to monitor SDG indicator 10.7.2, the number of countries with policies to facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people.
Since mobile phones are used by large parts of the population around the world, mobile phone data has the potential to fill several data gaps. As a result, nearly 80% of NSOs consider mobile phone data a priority in the years ahead.
Citizen science is another non-traditional source of data that offers great promise for SDG data. For instance, recent research demonstrates that citizen science data is already contributing to or could contribute to the monitoring of around 33% of the SDG indicators. This innovative approach can provide a cost-effective mechanism for collecting data on the SDGs while increasing community awareness and engagement on relevant issues.
For example, the Ghana Statistical Service was struggling to provide continuous data related to the monitoring of marine litter. To address this issue, they partnered with key stakeholders to use citizen science to monitor SDG 14.1.1b, the indicator related to floating plastic debris density.
As part of the Data for Now initiative, this project aimed to close the data gaps related to marine litter by incorporating citizen science data with national statistics and as a result, Ghana became the first country to report on this SDG indicator using citizen science data.
EO data also has an important role to play in improving data coverage and granularity. According to a recent study, existing EO systems could generate data for 33 SDG indicators across 14 goals. Fortunately, over the past few years, technological advancements along with new technologies, such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS), image processing, and satellite imagery have led to a drastic increase in available EO data.
For example, satellite imagery is becoming increasingly important in disaster response and recovery. The recent wildfires on the Hawaiian island of Maui have become the deadliest US wildfires in more than a century, with 115 confirmed fatalities and over 1,000 people still missing as of August 23. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Earth Applied Sciences Disasters program has been working closely with stakeholders, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the World Central Kitchen, and the Pacific Disaster Center, to support response and recovery efforts. Using EO data, like maps and satellite imagery, state officials have been able to estimate that nearly 3,000 homes and businesses have been destroyed or damaged as a result of the wildfires, totalling to USD $6 billion in losses.
Responders have also been able to use these maps to determine where to best allocate their resources for response efforts and humanitarian relief. This crisis demonstrates the value of satellite imagery to track the spread of wildfires, assess the damage, and help coordinate relief efforts, and how EO can be used to support SDG indicators such as 1.5.2 (direct economic loss attributed to disasters) and 13.1.1 (number of deaths, missing persons, and directly affected persons attributed to disasters).
The Way Forward
Non-traditional data sources are being employed to complement national statistics. Governments should continue to invest in these innovative approaches to improve access to high-quality, timely data for decision-making on sustainable development, leading to more accurate SDG reporting and monitoring and increased progress on the 2030 Agenda.
As we near the midpoint of Agenda 2030, by harnessing the power of non-traditional data, national governments can create better-informed decision-making that can drive effective, efficient, and responsible actions towards achieving the SDGs.
Here is a timeline of moon missions worldwide, starting from September 1959 when USSR became the first country in the world to do a hard landing on the moon’s surface.
In 2019, when the Chandryaan-2 crashed while descending to the lunar surface, the disappointment overshadowed the hard work ISRO had put into the mission. With the Chandryaan-3 successfully landing on the moon, the jubilations are running high, and the facts behind the mission look mind-boggling.
The result of Chandryaan-3’s safe landing resulted in ISRO Chief S Somanath triumphed and said, “India is on the moon.” He further thanked the entire team and leaders alike for their contribution to the project.
When asked about the budget of the mission, he laughed, saying, “I won’t disclose such secrets. We don’t want everyone else to become so cost-effective!” According to the NYT, he later said, “These are very cost-effective missions. No one in the world can do it like we do.”
Meanwhile, addressing the scientists virtually, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the nation. “This is a historic movement and sounds the bugle for a developed India”, he said.
Many international newspapers also rose to bow down to the ISRO for the achievement. Talking of trumping and “outdoing” America and Russia, the New York Times congratulated and acknowledged India’s longstanding science and technology embrace.
With the launch of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft, India has set forth new records and historic moments for the world. Here are some of them:
South Pole
India has become the first country to soft-land near the south pole region of the moon. All the previous landings have been near the moon’s equator. The South Pole has various minerals and waters that have not yet been explored.
Budget Less Than Hollywood Space Movies
The budget of Chandrayaan-3 was $75 million, about half the cost of the Hollywood movie Interstellar, which was made at $165 million. Blockbuster movies such as Gravity, which cost $100 million, and The Martian, which cost $108 million, were much more expensive.
UK Real Estate
Moreover, it costs almost a quarter of the most expensive home in the UK, which is located in London’s most prestigious neighborhood, Regent Park. It went on sale at $419 million.
Beating SpaceX
A single Falcon 9 rocket launch from Elon Musk’s SpaceX costs about $67 million, similar to the entire Chandrayaan-3 project.
Learning from Mistakes
Despite of the tight budget, India managed to land on the moon after two failed tries, whereas the USSR failed 5 times with its Lunar-1, only gaining partial success in one mission before successfully landing the Lunar-2 on the moon in 1959. The US, on the other hand, failed 15 times before successfully landing Ranger 7 in 1964.
Vikram Rover
The life of Vikram and Pragyan rover on the mission is for one lunar night, or 14 earth days, as they are equipped with solar panels.
Slingshot Rocket
Instead of using very powerful rockets, ISRO used a slingshot launch where the probe orbited Earth several times to gain speed. This resulted in Chandrayaan-3 taking more time to hit orbit than Apollo 11 did in 1969.
