India and the second Space Age

India stands at a pivotal crossroads in its journey in space. The era of state-led exploration has given way to the “Second Space Age”—a competitive frontier defined by commercial interests, private enterprise, and new geopolitical ambitions.

This collection of articles from The Hindu provides an essential record of how a nation, once celebrated for its “shoestring” successes, is preparing to navigate this complex new terrain. The e-book delves into a critical question facing the nation: should India continue to follow the foundational “Sarabhai doctrine” of societal development, or must it now embrace a new paradigm to achieve its ambitious goals?

India and the second Space Age offers a comprehensive survey of the challenges and opportunities ahead. The authors explore the strategic shift towards sophisticated “dual-use technologies” for surveillance, the rise of a promising but pressured private sector in need of the government as an “anchor customer”, and the urgent legal questions that create a “wild east” of ambiguity around liability and international law. The e-book examines the motivations behind the Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission and the selection of its first “vyomanauts”, framing it as a quest for global prestige in the “new space race”.

This is not just a story about technology; it’s about a nation’s evolving identity on the global stage. Read it to understand the intricate balance of foresight, pride, and risk that defines India’s quest to find its place in the competitive and commercialised final frontier.

What’s inside:

From Thumba to the Moon: should ISRO continue to follow the Sarabhai doctrine?, by Vasudevan Mukunth

Surveillance and dual-use technologies, by Aroon Deep

The second Space Age is here. Where is India’s place in it?,by Pradeep Mohandas