The world’s largest democracy has a booming economy and major space expertise, and plans to be a world-class player in Earth-Moon space. Along with Brazil (See “Surging Brazil is a Global Space Power”), India is an impressive example of a global space power that wants to accelerate its expansion into space.

Despite increasing global economic turmoil, Wall Street Journal reports (5/31/08) that India’s economy surged 8.8% in the first three months of 2008 from a year earlier. Most of the growth was in construction and services industries, although there are potential challenges on the horizon. For example, transportation infrastructure is “at the brink of collapse”.

I spoke on lunar and Mars resources at the 1988 International Astronautical Federation meeting in Bangalore and was impressed by the Indian Space Research Organization’s (ISRO) facilities and scientific staff. India launched its first satellite in 1975. Since the 1980s, India has developed and used their INSAT (communications, weather) and IRS (resource monitoring) satellites. Their two launch systems are the PSLV (1200 kg to polar orbits) since 1997, and the GSLV (2000 kg to GEO, includes a cryogenic upper stage) since 2001.

PSLV-C9 launched from ISRO Launch Center, 100 km north of Chennai.

In 2006, the ISRO briefed 80 Indian scientists on a 4 year study of a possible Indian manned space mission including development of an Orbital Vehicle that would be launched by GSLV. Milestones would include: first manned flight in 2014, and the first Indian on the Moon between 2020 – 2025. The ISRO continues “serious consideration” of a manned Indian space program.

This impressive, ebullient activity is very consistent with an international Sputnik-like event near 2013 and the opening of the next Maslow Window shortly thereafter.

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