I firmly believe that space faring nations have the responsibility to put their efforts together to launch time bound financially shared programmes to take up societal missions in a large scale, pooling their capabilities in launch vehicles, spacecraft and applications. Such major cooperation itself will act a great measure of space security, in addition to empowering the most underprivileged, minimizing communication gaps and reducing threats for conflicts.

I am delighted to participate in the Conference on “Space Security and Defence: Scope and Prospects for International Cooperation”, organized by the Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) and Centre for Defence and International Security Studies (CdISS). I greet the organizers, keynote speakers, space scientists, space technologists, Defence and policy analysts, administrators, entrepreneurs and researchers participating in this conference from India and abroad. I am of the opinion that international hard cooperation in space will by itself enhance space security.

In recent months, I have been interacting on the future perspectives of space in many distinguished forums including Boston University, Centre of Aerospace Strategic Studies (CESA);International Space University, Strasbourg; MCF, Hassan, Aeronautical and Astronautical Societies of Hyderabad, Caltech USA, International Astronautical Congress, Hyderabad; VSSC, Trivandrum; Goddard Space Flight Centre and Rice University, USA.

These interactions with the space agencies of the world academicians, public policy specialists, astronauts and cosmonauts as well as interested citizens strengthen my view that space technology for the next fifty years should be directed towards the real stake holder – the global human being. That is the only way we would come out of the mindset of the past, use the full potential of space development of the past fifty years and innovatively develop tools and institutions for a space future that would assure security for the entire humankind. I would like to discuss on the topic “Can space cooperation lead to space security?”

What are the important space systems which need to be protected today? Let me discuss.

• There are around 240 (Civil and Military) communications satellites in Geo Stationary Orbit.
• There are over 800 satellites including remote sensing and reconnaissance

satellites in different orbits.

• There are scientific spacecraft carrying sophisticated payload of telescopes.
• There is an orbiting international space station.
• Moon and Mars exploration is being progressed by multi nations.
• To make data available and receive data, there are hundreds of space control centers and tracking systems established by many nations. Most vulnerable part of the expensive space system including complex software remains on the ground.

Protection of space comprehensively is a common interest of human kind. In this scenario, we have to ask ourselves, does not space security refers to all the six points mentioned above or something more. Every space faring nation understands that the space ground station is the most vulnerable element in a physical and interference sense. In such a situation, what can be the space security system need to be evolved?

What are the real threat perceptions of humanity for the twenty first century?

• The inequity in education and health care
• The shortage of human resources both for skills and research throughout the world
• The looming threat to environment
• The depletion of resources – energy and water

Can these be managed by the conventional way of thinking that individual nations and group of nations have been engaged in? I firmly believe that space faring nations have the responsibility to put their efforts together to launch time bound financially shared programmes to take up societal missions in a large scale, pooling their capabilities in launch vehicles, spacecraft and applications. Such major cooperation itself will act a great measure of space security, in addition to empowering the most underprivileged, minimizing communication gaps and reducing threats for conflicts. We have to focus on mass missions like solar energy from space, desalination of seawater through solar energy, mass transportation of minerals from Moon and Mars, which is possible only when the cost of access to space is reduced drastically. Another important long-term consideration is “Don’t we need to work on an alternate habitat to earth?”

WORLD SPACE VISION 2050 & WORLD SPACE COUNCIL

The future space programme has to be concerned and the missions have be evolved to meet the challenges of having a clean environment and counter the limitation of fossil fuel energy systems focused by World Energy Forum and harnessing the potential of outer space for finding newer materials and also harnessing materials like helium-3 from moon. I consider for realizing this, all the space faring nations have to come together and bring down the cost of access to space. As the space cooperation in outer space increases, the threat to space security will reduce because every space faring nation will have a vision and business in our own planet, the other planets and the moon. Keeping this in mind, I have been proposing a theme called World Space Vision 2050 including the need of forming a World Space Council. Simultaneously, I have emphasized on the space faring nations on the formation of an international space force for regulating and preventing any unauthorized weapon or weapon related system activity in the space. Now let me discuss the first part of my presentation that is World Space Vision 2050.

With the background and strength of technological progress in Space systems in the world, I would suggest the World Space Community to evolve World Space Vision 2050 with the following three components:

• Large Scale Societal missions and Low cost access to space.
• Comprehensive space security
• Space exploration and current application missions

A World Space Vision would enhance the quality of human life, inspire the spirit of space exploration, expand the horizons of knowledge and ensure space security for all nations of the world. It is also essential to create World Space Council, which could oversee the planning, and implementation of large scale and societal missions like energy from space, space security and deep space exploration. International cooperation according to me is foundation for sensible investment in space. Such a unified, global approach will enable the world to see a quantum jump in the progress in space science and technology for the benefit of all the nations of the world for many generations to come. So, the space scientists and leaders of the world have a great challenge and opportunity.

Now, I would like to focus on the first component of the World Space Vision, on large societal missions and low cost access to space using space science and technology. This technological contribution will lead to cost effective launches of large payloads for geosynchronous and polar orbit missions, paving the way for Earth-Moon-Mars combination missions with mass transportation systems.

As you all are aware, the payload fraction of current generation expendable launch vehicles in the world does not exceed 1% or 2% of the launch weight. Thus to put one or two tonnes in space requires more than one hundred tonnes of launch weight, most of which – nearly 70% – is oxidizer. Such space transportation systems, with marginal payload fractions, are wholly uneconomical for carrying out mass transportation and to carry freight and people for the missions of earth, Moon and the Mars. There is definitely a need for space faring nations to work together to develop reusable launch vehicles, which can bring down the cost of payload in orbit from the present US $ 20,000 per kg to US $ 2000 per kg and eventually to $200 per kg.

Space Transportation Systems with High Payload Fraction

Studies in India have shown that the smallest size reusable space launch vehicle, weighing about 25-30 tonnes can be developed with high payload fractions which gathers air at cruise phase, liquefies air and then separates out the liquid oxygen for onboard storage while the spacecraft ascends directly from earth to orbit. These studies in India suggest that an “aerobic” space transportation vehicle can have a 15% payload fraction for a launch weight of 270 tonnes. This type of trans-atmospheric space transportation system has the potential to increase the payload fraction to 30% for higher take off weight.

India is working on both single and two-stage to orbit RLV (Reusable Launch Vehicle). The goal here is to reduce the cost of access to Space by one or two orders of magnitude. Scientific breakthrough, for example, in air breathing propulsion systems may lead to a revolution in Space Transportation. Space communities of the world have a huge stake in such breakthrough research in advanced inter-disciplinary and inter-institutional collaboration.

Critical Technologies for space Transportation Systems

The real value of future societal space missions, like energy from space and seawater desalination using space solar power can take place only, when mankind builds fully reusable space transportation systems with very high payload efficiencies. Several technologies are critical and need to be developed such as:

• In-Flight Air Collection and Oxygen Liquefaction Technology
• Ram/Scramjet Engines
• Ascent Turbojet /Turbofan Ramjet Engines
• Advanced light weight High Temperature Materials

Multi-Role System Architecture Required

It is essential that these new technologies are flight-tested comprehensively over the entire speed and height regimes that are common to the role of trans-atmospheric vehicles in space transportation. A multi-role system architecture is required and the flight test vehicle designed with such a system would have to comprehensively demonstrate in flight, all the special attributes of fully reusable space transportation for safe, affordable flight to space.

We have to protect the assets in GSO and other orbits and increase their service life. I have proposed Space Satellite Service Stations as an international venture to have Space Satellite Service Stations. We have to guard against any threat from asteroids and manmade debris. This also calls for an international effort

When enormous societal and economic commitments have been made by nations with space infrastructure, the main security concern is that outer space should be free of weapons. We must recognize the necessity for the world space community to avoid terrestrial geo-political conflict to be drawn into outer space thus threatening the space assets belonging to humanity.

Any unilateral action, which upsets the stability of space, is against the interest of the entire humanity. Multilateral approaches are required to ensure that the use of outer space is in conformity with international law and in the interest of maintaining peace and security and promoting international co-operation. Hence, I suggest creation of an International Space Force (ISF) made up of all space faring nations wishing to participate and contribute to protect world space assets in a manner, which will enable peaceful use of space on a global cooperative basis. In this connection, I was happy to see the paper on “a code of conduct for responsible space-faring nations prepared by Mr. Michael Krepon”. This code of conduct can be used by the International Space Force as a guide line. Any unilateral action, which upsets the stability of space, is against the interest of the entire humanity. Multilateral approaches are required to ensure that the use of outer space is in conformity with international law and in the interest of maintaining peace and security and promoting international co-operation. Hence, I suggest creation of an International Space Force (ISF) made up of all space faring nations wishing to participate and contribute to protect world space assets in a manner, which will enable peaceful use of space on a global cooperative basis. In this connection, I was happy to see the paper on “a code of conduct for responsible space-faring nations prepared by Mr. Michael Krepon”. This code of conduct can be used by the International Space Force as a guide line.

Paradigm shift in foreseeing space of next fifty years

I am of the view that the present capabilities of major space faring nations are not optimally utilized. The launch vehicles of the world, the spacecraft of the world, the application potential of the world, the space scientific research potential of the world and above all the huge costs envisaged for space 2050 programmes would call for certain “paradigm shift” in nations to work together to bring the benefits of space to humanity as a whole. This is possible as my experience suggests, only if we have a hard cooperation of each nation contributing substantially in technology and resource. In this context, I would like to share with you two Indian experiences in international cooperation, which has happened in India.

One is a Joint venture programme between India and Russia with the shared funding of $300 million that has resulted into development leading to production of a world’s first super sonic cruise missile called Brahmos in the defence sector.

Another experience of India is the Pan African e-Network initiative costing over $100 million, for connecting 53 Pan African Nations for providing education, healthcare and e-governance services. These experiences give me the confidence that hard international cooperation indeed can accelerate the application of space science and technology leading to fast results for societal application. Such international cooperation itself will aid the security dimension in space. A world space vision can trigger many young towards hitherto “impossible” challenges.

The World Space Vision 2050 would enhance the quality of human life, inspire the spirit of space exploration, expand the horizons of knowledge, and ensure space security for all nations of the world.

In this context, I suggest evolution of World Space Council to formulate and implement World Space Vision as discussed. The World Space Council with global participation could oversee the planning and implementation of exploration, space security and societal missions. Such a unified approach will enable the world to see a quantum jump in the progress in space science and technology for the benefit of all the nations of the world. Many of you represent countries that have brought about the incredible space revolution during the last 50 years. What we need today is a step function as a global space initiative to implement a World Space Vision and missions for an enhanced quality of life for a peaceful and safe world. I can assure you that India will be a partner in this effort.

Conclusion: World Space Profile by 2050

Now, let me visualize the space profile in 2050, with the focus of World Space Vision 2050, being steered by the World Space council.

1. A world, where all citizens will have equitable distribution of energy through solar power and solar powered satellites.
2. A world where all citizens even in the remotest parts will have electronic connectivity and knowledge connectivity through constellation of communication satellites.
3. A world where all citizens will have safe drinking water by the technologies of seawater desalination using solar power.
4. A clean planet earth through the use of solar energy from solar power satellite and power generated from helium-3 derived from Moon.
5. A Planet earth will have a clean industrial complex on Moon and an alternate habitat at Mars.
6. Planet earth will be transformed to prosperity without poverty, peaceful without fear of war and a happy place to live for the whole humanity using space technologies as one of the prime movers.

I am convinced that time has come for political leadership of space faring nations has to come together and adopt a world space vision. Forums like you may play a major role in this effort.

With these words, I inaugurate the Space Security Conference. My best wishes to all the participants success in their mission of developing strategies and policies for international space cooperation.

May God Bless you.