Department of Space Technology Grant: Empowering the Indo-Pacific Region

 Based on funding availability, this project will bring together forty (40) entrepreneurs, startups, investors, government/space agency representatives, and other stakeholders from the Indo-Pacific region for a three-day conclave which will focus on challenges, impediments, and the way forward to realize the full potential of the space technology sector. The project will have three major components: 

1.  Virtual working groups

2.  Three-day conclave/launch of the Indo-Pacific Association of Space Entrepreneurs (IPASE)

3.   White Paper recommendations 

Project Objectives: 

1.     Within two months of the project start date: Form four Working Groups and identify the four key themes/issues that will be discussed during the conclave. Members will include representatives from leading private sector space technology companies and governmental agencies such as SpaceX, IN-SPACe, NASA, and others. This will be evidenced by sharing the details with officials of the U.S. Mission in India. officials.

2.     Within four months of the project start date: Connect the Working Group members to each other and organize at least three virtual meetings of each of the four Working Groups. At the end of the individual Working Group meetings, organize at least one plenary virtual meeting with all the members of the four Working Groups to create an agenda for the three-day conclave. Parallelly the project implementer should begin to identify resource persons and speakers with inputs from the various Working Groups and the U.S. Mission in India. This will be evidenced by the notional schedule created for the three-day conclave including such material being posted/shared by the implementer and the Working Group participants on a digital platform created for this project. 

3.     Within six months of the project start date: Host a three-day conclave in Bengaluru, Karnataka for 40 participants from India, the United States, and Indo-Pacific countries as described above. The applicant must outline an alternate virtual option for the conclave in case health and safety concerns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic do not allow for an in-person event.

4.     Within 10 months after the project start date: Compile a White Paper of the recommendations as the outcome of the conclave, which will include details about the newly formed Indo-Pacific Association for Space Entrepreneurs (IPASE) and its goals and objectives as evidenced by sharing the draft White Paper with officials of the U.S. Mission in India.

5.     Within 12 months after the project start date: Share the approved version of the White Paper widely with stakeholders in the space sector in India, the United States, and Indo-Pacific countries. 

 1.     Within two months of the project start date: Form four Working Groups and identify the four key themes/issues that will be discussed during the conclave. Members will include representatives from leading private sector space technology companies and governmental agencies such as SpaceX, IN-SPACe, NASA, and others. This will be evidenced by sharing the details with officials of the U.S. Mission in India.  officials.

2.     Within four months of the project start date: Connect the Working Group members to each other and organize at least three virtual meetings of each of the four Working Groups. At the end of the individual Working Group meetings, organize at least one plenary virtual meeting with all the members of the four Working Groups to create an agenda for the three-day conclave. Parallelly the project implementer should begin to identify resource persons and speakers with inputs from the various Working Groups and the U.S. Mission in India. This will be evidenced by the notional schedule created for the three-day conclave including such material being posted/shared by the implementer and the Working Group participants on a digital platform created for this project. 

3.     Within six months of the project start date: Host a three-day conclave in Bengaluru, Karnataka for 40 participants from India, the United States, and Indo-Pacific countries as described above. The applicant must outline an alternate virtual option for the conclave in case health and safety concerns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic do not allow for an in-person event.

4.     Within 10 months after the project start date: Compile a White Paper of the recommendations as the outcome of the conclave, which will include details about the newly formed Indo-Pacific Association for Space Entrepreneurs (IPASE) and its goals and objectives as evidenced by sharing the draft White Paper with officials of the U.S. Mission in India.

5.     Within 12 months after the project start date: Share the approved version of the White Paper widely with stakeholders in the space sector in India, the United States, and Indo-Pacific countries.