IIT Madras, the U.S. Consulate General in Chennai, and the non-profit Indian Space Association (ISpA) have urged governments and the corporate sector in Indo-Pacific nations to increase cooperation in the field of space technology. They identified three key areas—Make in Space for Use in Space, Make on Earth for Use in Space, and Make in Space for Use Back on Earth—where further cooperation would be most advantageous.
Additionally, a Whitepaper titled “Space Technology: The Next Business Frontier – Opportunities and Challenges for the Indo-Pacific Region” was published by Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras, on January 25, 2023. In which they asked governments to support joint project bids from business and academia and announced the formation of a collaboration to jointly develop space applications, such as small satellite launch vehicles. Prof. Kamakoti gave the first copy to Judith Ravin, U.S. Consul General in Chennai.
The Whitepaper is the result of a three-day international colloquium held from October 15–17, 2022, at IIT Madras with assistance from the U.S. Consulate General Chennai. Director of IIT Madras, Prof. V. Kamakoti, spoke at the White Paper Release Event and remarked, “The space sector, particularly in India, is moving towards large-scale commercialization. Many private players and start-ups are in advanced stages looking at many areas such as rapid launches, sea launch, and different satellites that can be launched. What is exciting today is that we are able to close things faster due to policies and also due to the lot of collaborations. I would like Space Tech Conclaves to become an annual event with sub-group meetings happening at regular intervals.”
Representatives of fifteen different nations’ space agencies, including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), the Australian Space Agency (ASA), and the Indian Space Research Organization, participated in the conference (ISRO).
Along with the Whitepaper, the Association of Space Entrepreneurs in the Indo-Pacific (ASEIP), a networking and advocacy platform devoted to innovation and entrepreneurship in the space sector, was also announced as a major outcome of the Space Conclave.
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