The Space Exploration and Research Agency (SERA), US based, in collaboration with Blue Origin announced that India is a partner in their human space flight programme.
Spaceflight Details
- SERA will offer six seats on a future mission of Blue Origin’s New Shepard, a reusable suborbital rocket.
- New Shepard will take astronauts on an 11-minute trip past the Kármán line (100 km), experiencing weightlessness before descending back.
About Human Space flight Programme
- These programmes are Efforts by countries or organizations to send astronauts or cosmonauts into space.
- Main Activities:
- Designing and building spacecraft.
- Training astronauts or cosmonauts.
- Launching missions to explore space beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
- SERA Blue Origin program: This program is for citizens from countries with few or no astronauts.
- This approach promotes national conversations on space and international collaboration.
- The minimal physical requirements for New Shepard’s flight allow more diverse and inclusive participation.
- This programme gives communities the power to choose their astronauts.
- It is driven by people, for people.
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Benefits and Challenges of India’s Partnership in Human Spaceflight Programme on Indian Economy
Benefits
- Increased Accessibility for Indian Citizens: Six seats on a future space mission are available for a very small registration fee, making space travel a possibility for some Indians who wouldn’t have had the chance otherwise.
- Public Engagement and Inspiration: The program will likely spark public interest and discussions about space exploration in India.
- This could inspire future generations to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, which could benefit the Indian economy in the long term.
- Potential for Technological Spin-Offs: The program could lead to technological advancements or new ideas that benefit other sectors of the Indian economy.
- For example, developments in materials science or life support systems could have applications in other industries.
Challenges
- Limited Short-Term Economic Impact: This program is focused on citizen participation, not a large-scale space development project.
- It’s unlikely to directly create significant jobs or revenue for the Indian economy in the short term.
- The focus is on the individual experience, not on major technological breakthroughs.
- Indirect Benefits Unclear: The potential long-term benefits are uncertain. It’s difficult to predict how much the program will actually inspire future generations or lead to technological spin-offs.
- Focus on Individual vs. National Advancement: The program prioritizes sending a few citizens to space over large-scale development of India’s own spacefaring capabilities.
- This may not be ideal for those who believe India should focus on its own space program for national prestige and economic benefits.
Human Spaceflight endeavors
- Project Mercury: It was the first program initiated by the US to put humans in space.
- Under this project, 25 flights were made, 6 of which carried astronauts between 1961 and 1963.
- Objective: Its aims was to
- Orbiting human spacecraft around the Earth
- Probing human’s ability to function in space.
- Making sure recovery of both astronaut and spacecraft.
- Vostok Program: Vostok spacecraft was developed and launched into space in 1961.
- It was built by the Soviet Union.
- Objective: This program aimed to put the first Soviet cosmonauts into low Earth orbit and return them safely.
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India’s Participation
- India is also as part of human spaceflight program
- An Indian citizen can register for the program by paying a USD 2.50 fee for verification checks.
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July 4, 2024