In Conversation with G Levin, Chief Executive Officer of Kerala Space Park on Developing Thiruvananthapuram as a Space City
There are Space Cities around the world like Dnipro, Ukraine which has played a crucial role in many Soviet and Ukrainian space programs or Huntsville, Alabama, known as the Rocket City, USA, instrumental in the Apollo Programs. How can Thiruvananthapuram leverage its existing infrastructure and expertise to develop a similar Space City ecosystem?
The Indian Space Program began its journey in Thumba in 1962 with the establishment of the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS). From the first launch of a US-made NIKE-APACHE rocket from the Thumba Shore, using a French launcher and a Russian computer, we have come a long way.
We developed our own sounding rockets, starting with the RH-75, and now have a range of them for atmospheric studies. We ventured into the SLV-III program led by Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, our first satellite launch vehicle program. Then came the ASLV, PSLV, GSLV, and now we have the Mark III, SSLV, and others. All these achievements have been accomplished at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), the lead centre of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), located within the TERLS campus.
VSSC is the lead centre for satellite launch vehicles. The design and development of all subsystems and technologies for rockets take place here. We also have the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), responsible for liquid propulsion thrusters and engines for satellites and launch vehicles. Their achievements include earth-storable engines and the recent success with cryogenic engines. Additionally, we have the semi-cryo program and various other thrusters.
The third centre in Thiruvananthapuram is the ISRO Inertial Systems Unit (IISU), which provides navigation, guidance, and control systems for both launch vehicles and satellites. This unit is crucial for the success of any space mission. We also have the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), the only space institute in Asia offering specialized education from undergraduate to Ph.D. levels. Research activities are also conducted at this centre.
Despite having this vast pool of resources, we were lacking in industrial support. ISRO itself produces less than 5% of the components for its rockets and satellites. The remaining 95% are produced by the industry. Thiruvananthapuram, despite its favourable ecosystem, lacked the industrial base to support the ISRO program. The Space Park aims to fill this missing link.
We are trying to attract industries for hardware and software design, analysis, data circuit-based data communication, and data product generation. Our vision is to serve all four segments of the space system: launch vehicles, satellites, ground support systems, and space application systems. We will provide a conducive atmosphere for these industries to come and set up their units and get business not just from ISRO.
While ISRO is certainly a major client, the global space market is vast and growing rapidly. The global space economy is expected to grow from its current $500 billion to $1 trillion by 2040. If we can capture even 10% of this market, including India’s contribution, it will be a huge boost to the Indian economy. The Kerala Space Park is aiming for 10% of what India is going to get, which translates to a $10 billion economic activity or turnover by 2040.
I would like to add that when we started the whole program, small industrial units around Thiruvananthapuram provided all the support we needed, except for imported components. However, as the ISRO programs grew larger, our industry wasn’t encouraged to grow at the same pace.
This is why we are unable to meet our needs today. Therefore, our goal is to establish industries here that can support the Indian space program as well as private entrepreneurship. Many start-up companies are doing very well in India, and we want to support them. We also want to capture a significant portion of the global demand.
Indian start-ups like Pixxel, which unveiled its first-ever hyperspectral images from its satellites this year, Skyroot Aerospace, which raised $27.5 million last week, and Agnikul, which is building 3D-printed rockets, are excellent examples. What are some of the specific ways in which the Kerala Space Park can support space start-ups and how can the Kerala Space Park play a role in attracting and nurturing more space start-ups to the region?
The Kerala Start-Up Mission (KUSM), part of the Kerala government’s Electronics and IT Department, is the state’s start-up promotion agency. It supports start-ups across all industries, not just IT. KUSM has been recognized as the leading start-up ecosystem in the world for the last three years. Kerala is doing very well in extending support to start-ups. Today, we are seeing excellent examples of this, such as the G-Gator for assisting immobilized patients and the robotic sewage cleaning system.
We are collaborating with various government agencies like KINFRA and the Technopark ecosystem, along with the KUSM and the Digital University. We will also be working closely with all ISRO units and IIST. We will provide support for start-ups through incubation facilities, prototyping facilities, and access to investors. This will enable students to develop their ideas into marketable products and services. It is a sustained mission to encourage young people into research and development for the benefit of society.
As you mentioned, it is the responsibility of academia, industry, and the government to work together. How will academia play a role in this?
I envision a dedicated incubation and technology development centre where academia is closely involved. This will serve as a Launchpad for students to transition from their labs to the marketplace. We need the cooperation of all universities and institutes that are performing well, as we have already done with Kerala University, the Digital University, the Kerala Technological University, IIST, and the ISRO units. By working together, we can achieve success and benefit society.
What specific measures can the Kerala Space Park implement to support space start-ups? How can the Kerala Space Park contribute to attracting and fostering more space start-ups in the region?
We have several plans for start-ups. KSPACE will extensively collaborate with KUSM, which has a proven track record of success in promoting start-ups. We will establish incubation and start-up facilities within the Common Facility Centre and R&D Centre under construction for KSPACE. Additionally, we will collaborate with R&D institutions and universities to support research ideas and their transition to product development and production.
In what ways can the development of the space sector, particularly the Space Park, contribute to the socioeconomic development of Kerala?
Space technology is a hi-tech sector demanding the optimum design, high quality, highest reliability and stringent schedule. Once the industries are qualified for the demanding Space technology sector, they will get access to other hi-tech industrial sectors. Growth of such hi-tech industries in the state will generate a huge volume of Hi-tech jobs for the highly skilled youths of the state, giving them another big opportunity, other than the current IT sector.
Growth of the rewarding Hi-tech industrial sector will generate huge income to help the state enhance its GDP and bring good revenue for the state. Another added advantage will be that the aspiring youth of the state will get another great avenue to accomplish their aspirations and thereby help the state to reduce the flight of the younger generation from the state to other parts of the world.
