Enabling U.S.- India Commercial Space Partnership: A Single Country Project for India

ENABLING U.S.-INDIA COMMERCIAL SPACE PARTNERSHIP: A SINGLE COUNTRY PROJECT FOR INDIA

Following the launch of the U.S.-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) in 2023, both the U.S. and Indian governments have initiated efforts to expand strategic technology partnerships and collaboration in the commercial space sector. To promote a better understanding of how U.S. space agencies rely on and work with private sector firms, a group of nine visitors from various areas of India’s public and private space ecosystem travelled to the United States to participate in the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP). The program endeavored to facilitate opportunities for Indian and U.S. space leaders to network and identify areas for mutually beneficial collaboration, while deepening bilateral space relations.

Project Objectives

• Showcase public and private sector perspectives and concept of commercial space, including how U.S. space agencies rely on and work with private sector firms;
• Illustrate the goods and services U.S. private sector firms provide to international partners and identify opportunities for partnership;
• Discuss the role of collaboration and the role of opening of pathways in a rapidly evolving domestic space market.

Project Design

Over the course of their 11-day program, visitors made stops at the following destinations, where meetings were focused on specific aspects of larger project themes. The group visited three cities to gain perspectives from across the space industry. At the conclusion of the project, visitors returned to Washington DC for the Satellite 2024 Conference and Exhibition.

Washington DC: In the nation’s capital, the visitors connected with federal agencies involved in commercial space ventures and learned about public-private partnerships driving innovation and space exploration. They engaged with the Department of Commerce, NASA, and the Department of State on topics like U.S. space governance, commercial space policy, and strategic technology partnerships. At the Goddard Space Flight Center, the group got an up-close look at the assembly of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. During the week, they also discussed ongoing and future commercial space projects with aerospace industry leaders from Amazon Web Services, Axiom Space, Blue Origin, Maxar Intelligence, Slingshot Aerospace, and Viasat.

Los Angeles, CA: Next, the group journeyed west to explore the evolution of space technologies. At NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, they delved into discussions about the Mars Rover and upcoming plans for a Manned Mars Mission. A tour of SpaceX’s production facility provided firsthand insight into the manufacturing process of SpaceX rockets. Throughout their time in Los Angeles, visitors collected insights on accelerating technology advancement, fostering private investment opportunities, and cultivating the necessary elements for nurturing a robust space ecosystem.

Cape Canaveral, FL: Florida’s Space Coast was the final stop on this project. Participants surveyed the intricacies of both private and public launch ventures, exploring their economic and environmental impact on the region. Engagements with Space Florida and the Florida Space Institute at the University of Central Florida underscored the local government commitment to nurturing a skilled workforce to sustain an expanding space sector. A tour of Vaya Space’s factory plant provided a firsthand look at the manufacturing process behind the hybrid engines powering the “greenest rocket on earth.” As a grand finale, the group witnessed a SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket launch on the project’s closing night.

Impact and Next Steps

Visitor Impressions:

• “Coming with less knowledge of how things go about in USA, this programme has helped me understand how the US government works and how it takes part in the space ecosystem, how private industry works and how gov institutes work with government and industry.”
• “The sessions provided an insight into space ecosystem of the U.S., which is a great learning experience. The best practices are worth emulating by other countries in space domain.”
• “The points of contact will be very helpful in further understanding the policies, regulations, and promotion of commercial space activities in India and contributing to the global space ecosystem.”
• “We have made it a point to share our views to the Indian Government to have similar support structure and policy in place, enabling the local economy.”
• “This program has further consolidated & enhanced my positive outlook as to how tech driven ecosystem in space sector has been doing wonders besides complementing & supplementing the work of NASA.”
• “I was truly impressed by the way of life in the US. Initially, I had thought that life in the US must be fast-paced and challenging. However, after this trip, it became clear to me that people have the choice to lead the kind of life they want, and the US truly is a land of opportunity for all types of businesses, including space technology.”

Equipped with a new network and knowledge, visitors aim to undertake the following steps post-program:

• Nurture U.S.-India commercial space cooperation through further engagement with the Department of Commerce and partnership development with newfound private sector contacts.
• Replicate successful policies to enable commercial space exploration in India.
• Develop organizational policies of training, recruiting and maintaining a talented space-related workforce.