ISRO developing space tourism capabilities: Govt

Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Thursday said the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) was in the process of developing indigenous capabilities towards space tourism through the demonstration of human space flight capability to Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Singh said, the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) also sought to promote active participation of the private sector in carrying out end-to-end space activities, which also includes space tourism.

To a question on space diplomacy, the minister said ISRO pursued international cooperation and relations with 61 countries in varied domains of space activities.

IN-SPACe is a single window agency under the Department of Space to promote, handhold and authorize the activities of the private sector in the space domain.

In response to a separate question, Singh said the Department of Space was in the process of drafting a comprehensive, integrated space policy, which shall provide direction to the activities of the private Indian space industry.