Why in News?

• In a historic moment, India's Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla piloted the Axiom-4 mission aboard SpaceX’s Dragon capsule, which lifted off from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center.
• Shukla became the first Indian in 41 years to cross the Karman line after Rakesh Sharma in 1984.
  • The Kármán line is an imaginary boundary at an altitude of 100 kilometers (62 miles) above sea level, which is widely recognized as the boundary between Earth's atmosphere and outer space.
• PM Modi congratulated Shukla, calling him the first Indian en-route to the International Space Station.
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What’s in Today’s Article?

• India’s Human Spaceflight Milestone and the Road Ahead
• Leveraging Space as a Strategic and Economic Frontier

India’s Human Spaceflight Milestone and the Road Ahead

• Shukla’s mission marks the beginning of human spaceflight becoming routine for India, similar to its satellite launches.
• Gaganyaan and Strategic Shifts
  • Though ISRO missed its 2022 deadline for human spaceflight, the Gaganyaan program has injected urgency and focus into the agency, positioning India for strategic advantages in space exploration.
• Human Spaceflight as a Strategic Capability
  • Human spaceflight is now a key tool for scientific, commercial, and geopolitical leverage.
  • As global space travel risks becoming exclusionary, India’s capabilities ensure it stays in the race.
• Equal Partnership in Axiom-4
  • ISRO played an active role in Axiom-4, not merely as a passenger partner.
  • A large ISRO team, including Chairman V. Narayanan, was deeply involved in planning and troubleshooting the mission.
• Preparing for Future Missions
  • The knowledge gained from Axiom-4 will strengthen the Gaganyaan program, with India’s first indigenous crewed mission expected by 2027.
  • ISRO also plans to establish its own space station and send astronauts to the Moon by 2040.

Leveraging Space as a Strategic and Economic Frontier

• Space is poised to be one of the most impactful technologies of the future, alongside AI, quantum computing, and clean energy, with vast economic and strategic implications.
• India Among Global Front-Runners
  • Unlike other tech domains where India lags, space is an area where India holds a leading position.
  • However, maintaining this edge will require competing with space giants like the U.S. and China.
• Private Sector and Economic Potential
  • India’s space capabilities offer significant business opportunities.
  • While India is a top space power, it contributes only about 2% to the global space economy—leaving immense room for growth.
• Inspiring Youth and Driving Innovation
  • Human spaceflight can inspire young Indians, attract talent to the space sector, and boost innovation, employment, and economic development.
• Capitalising on Shukla’s Mission
  • Shukla’s journey must be leveraged not just as a symbolic milestone but as a springboard to accelerate India’s space ambitions and build a thriving space ecosystem.