Kuaizhou-11 Rocket

• 13 Jul 2020

Why in News

The Chinese rocket named Kuaizhou-11 failed due to malfunction during the flight, losing both the satellites it was carrying.

Key Points

• Description: Kuaizhou, meaning “fast ship” in Chinese is a low-cost solid-fueled carrier rocket.
  
  • It was operated by the commercial launch firm Expace, and was originally scheduled for 2018 after being developed three years earlier.
  • Also known as KZ-11, it had a lift-off mass of 70.8 tonnes, and was designed to launch low-Earth and Sun-synchronous orbit satellites.
• Significance: Although the launch failed, it signifies a rapidly growing commercial space industry in China.
  
  • Commercial launches are an emerging industry in China. Companies such as Expace, iSpace, and Landspace, created after the Chinese government opened its space sector to private investment in 2014, have cut down traditional launch operations and are developing rapid response capabilities, the report stated.
  • This has provided greater advantages for both government and commercial customers.
• Other Important Missions of China:
  
  • Tianwen-1: China's Mars Mission to be launched by July, 2020. China's previous ‘Yinghuo-1’ Mars mission, which was supported by Russia failed in 2012. Tianwen-1 will lift off on a Long March 5 rocket.
  • Long March 5 Rocket: Considered as China’s successful step to operate a permanent space station and send astronauts to the Moon.
  • Tiangong: China's own space station to be built by 2022. Tiangong means a 'Heavenly Palace'.

Space Commercialization and India

• The development of low-cost carrier rockets must be seen in the backdrop of the fact that China gears up to compete with India to attract the lucrative global space launch market.
• According to an article published in 2017 in the Global Times, ‘China's space industry is lagging behind that of India in the commercial space industry.’
• The Chinese rockets will have to create a niche for themselves in the satellite market where the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has already gained a foothold. ISRO’s tried and trusted Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) has till now launched 297 foreign satellites and has various variants, which are meant for carrying different-size payloads and to different orbits.
• Small satellite revolution is underway, globally, 17,000 small satellites are expected to be launched between 2020 and 2030. A strong private sector in space will help India to tap into this lucrative commercial space launch market.
• However, apart from economic and efficient launch vehicles, India must also explore other domains, say, space tourism through private sector involvement.
• Space tourism is one among several opportunities that Indian businesses may be keen to explore. A policy framework to enable private participation in this sector, of course, would have to be formulated by the government.
• Increasing Space Competitiveness:
  
  • USA: Recently, SpaceX became the first private company to launch people (human spaceflight) into orbit, a feat achieved by the US, Russia & China. The spacecraft Crew Dragon was used to successfully carry astronauts of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) at the International Space Station (ISS).
  • Singapore is offering itself as a hub for space entrepreneurship based on its legal environment, availability of skilled manpower and equatorial location.
  • New Zealand is positioning itself as a location for private rocket launches.
• Steps Taken by India:
  
  • Approval to the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) to provide a level playing field for private companies to use Indian space infrastructure.
  • New Space India Limited (NSIL), the newly created second commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation.
  • ISRO has been a genuine global pioneer of aerospatial cost compression on several fronts. Cost-effectiveness has given the agency a distinct edge in the commercial arena of satellite launch services.
    
    • With such a valuable base of expertise within the country, it is only natural to expect the emergence of a private space industry that could prove globally competitive.

Way forward

• With increasing competition, complexity and demand for space-related activities, there is a growing realization that national legislation is needed to ensure the overall growth of the space sector. A New Space law for India should aim at facilitating growing India’s share of the global space economy in the coming decade.

Source: IE