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ENHI

RAS question

What is the role of IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre)?

Correct answer: (B) To promote and authorise private sector participation in space activities.

IN-SPACe is India's single-window agency for promoting, enabling, authorising and supervising non-governmental entities, including private companies, in space activities.

  1. (A)

    To train astronauts for Gaganyaan

  2. (B)

    To promote and authorise private sector participation in space activities

  3. (C)

    To build satellites for ISRO

  4. (D)

    To manage India's nuclear programme

Explanation

IN-SPACe was set up in 2020 with its headquarters in Ahmedabad to open Indian space activities to non-governmental entities, including private companies. The official IN-SPACe source describes it as a single-window, independent nodal agency under the Department of Space and as the interface between ISRO and the private sector for space-related programmes. Its core work is not to run missions directly, but to promote, enable, authorise and supervise NGE participation. That includes space activities such as building launch vehicles and satellites, providing space-based services, sharing DOS/ISRO-controlled infrastructure, and establishing new space infrastructure. Hence the best answer is promotion and authorisation of private-sector participation in space activities.

Why the other options are wrong

  • (A) Astronaut training belongs to the Gaganyaan programme, whereas IN-SPACe is meant to promote, enable, authorise and supervise NGE participation in space activities.
  • (C) IN-SPACe is not ISRO's satellite builder; it is the regulatory and promotional interface that authorises and supervises non-governmental entities, including those involved in building satellites.
  • (D) India's nuclear programme is handled under the Department of Atomic Energy, while IN-SPACe is a Department of Space agency for private participation in space activities.

Concept

This tests institutional roles in India's space-sector reforms, especially the distinction between ISRO's mission work and IN-SPACe's authorisation-and-promotion function. RAS often asks such questions because governance bodies in Science and Technology decide how policy reforms are actually implemented.

Source

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