Chavan seeks regulation to minimise debris in space

Minister of state in the Prime Minister's Office, Prithviraj Chavan, has called for a "careful review" of international policy and regulatory environment as applicable to commercial space activities in technology flow and market access.

Inaugurating the 58th International Astronautical Congress here on Monday, the minister said there was a wide asymmetry in policy and regulatory environment with regard to commercial space activities and several issues in this connection required attention at the international level.

"There is an urgent need to design effective regulations for minimising the menace of growing debris in outer space, which threatens future beneficial uses of space," he said.

Stating that the commercial aspect of space was growing in the post cold war era, Chavan sought promotion of suitable models for public-private partnerships, though primacy of government investments in several branches of space activity is inevitable.

He, however, said that advances in space exploration could be very expensive and risky. Hence, duplication of efforts should be avoided by pooling of financial and human resources through international cooperation. "The question today is not whether we should cooperate but rather can we afford not to cooperate," he pointed out.

According to Chavan, the Indian space programme has planned about 60 missions over the next five years for achieving several new objectives in the field of navigation, positioning, advanced communications, space transportation, earth observation and space science. "All this will provide increased opportunities for commercial and scientific cooperation with India," he said.

Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) , Madhavan Nair, said ISRO was entering the next phase of space vision with components of advanced technologies for low cost access to space planetary exploration and manned mission initiatives.

At the same time, the emphasis on societal applications would be continued with vigour. The proposed launching of the mission to Moon, Chandrayaan-1, is part of this second vision.

Andhra Pradesh chief minister, YS Rajasekhara Reddy, said the state was extensively using remote sensing and GIS techniques for optimal use of water resources.