Lok Sabha Question No. 3908 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-18
Subject: Regulating  Ground Station as a Service Industry
Ministry: SPACE
Asked by: Dr. D Ravi Kumar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## DEPARTMENT OF SPACE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3908

TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2024 REGULATING GROUND STATION AS A SERVICE INDUSTRY 3908.  DR. D RAVI KUMAR:

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:

- (a) that detail list of the steps being taken to support access to testing  facilities,  especially  for  large  antennas  and  Deep Space Networks, for the nascent Ground Station as a Service (GSaaS) industry;
- (b) whether  there  are  any  considerations  proposals  for  reducing the royalty fee/ MHz for Earth Observation (EO) satellite data reception station;
- (c) the  details  of  the  steps  being  taken  to  facilitate  Transfer-ofTechnology (ToT) for Tri-band feed realization from ISRO, and
- (d) whether  the  Government  plans  to  develop  a  single-window mechanism for GSaaS approvals/licenses?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES & PENSIONS AND IN THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE (DR. JITENDRA SINGH):

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- (a) Department of Space (DoS) has successfully established Deep Space  Networks  and  various  large  antennas  to  provide  ground station segment  for various missions. These  include  systems operating  in  different  frequency  bands  and  established  at  various locations. They support both ISRO Satellites (including Deep Space/ Interplanetary Missions),  External  Space  Agency  missions  and Launch Vehicle operations and also operations of Non-Government Entities  (NGEs).  Access  provided  to  NGE's  includes  support  for Payload  Testing,  Telemetry  and  Tele-command  Support,  In-orbit Validations.

Further, NSIL has been providing support to domestic and international customers through ISRO's tracking facilities involving large antennas and Deep Space Network as part of 'Ground Station as a Service' related activity. As a part of this, nearly 17 satellite/ launch vehicle missions have been supported on commercial basis.

- (b) Remote Sensing Data of spatial resolution of 5 m is accessible on 'free and open' basis to all. Further, remote sensing data of less than  5  m  is  made  available  free  of  any  charges  to  Government Entities and at a fair and transparent pricing to NGEs.

Earth  Observation  (EO)  satellite  data  reception  services  are  being offered  by  NSIL  on  per  pass  basis  to  domestic  and  international customers.

- (c) There  has  been  an  emerging  need  to  develop  indigenously  a Tri-band Data Reception System, that would facilitate cost effective, compact and efficient systems, for future Earth Observation Space Systems. DoS has successfully developed

indigenously a Tri-band system operating in S, S & Ka-Band, capable of  tracking  &  receiving  dual  Polarization  (RHC  &  LHC)  data  from Remote Sensing Satellites. Further in view of the large demand from local/ Indian Industries & global  market  potential  for  this  Tri-band(S/C/Ka)  Antenna  &  feed System,  the  technology  transfer  (ToT)  process  in  initiated  and  is under approval. (d) Conceptual  discussion on the possible Inter-departmental single  window  interface  for  processing  authorization/  approvals/ licenses by the respective departments for the common applicants in the space sector is taken up by IN-SPACe.

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