BEYOND EARTH

  The "Strategic Bridge" on Earth is the new booster engine for India’s space economy.   |  Blog  By Ravi Gopal We often think of space as a place where national borders disappear. But down here on Earth, borders—and the taxes that come with them—dictate who gets to reach orbit. On January 27, 2026 , during the 16th India-EU Summit in New Delhi, history was made. The conclusion of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) —hailed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen as the "Mother of All Trade Deals" —has created a shared market of 2 billion people and nearly a quarter of the global GDP. While the media buzzes about cheaper olive oil and cars, the real "moonshot" is hidden in the technical annexures: a total realignment of the global space supply chain. This landmark agreement isn't just about trade; it's about building a "Space Highway" connecting Bangalore and Brussels, paving the way for unprecedented collaboration and ...

  Why India is moving from just launching satellites to sustaining life and work in orbit    |  Blog  By Ravi Gopal Why India is moving from just launching satellites to sustaining life and work in orbit  |  Blog  By Ravi Gopal For a long time, the biggest achievement for any nation was simply reaching space . The moment a rocket roared off the launchpad and placed a satellite into orbit, the mission was celebrated as a total success. The job was considered complete. But space is changing fast. Today, getting there is only half the battle. The real challenge of the future is not just launch—it is how we sustain, support, and manage life and work in orbit . Just as roads, railways, and ports transformed life on Earth by allowing us to move goods and people efficiently, space now needs its own infrastructure. It needs "highways." And quietly but steadily, agencies like ISRO are shifting their focus from being just a transport agency to becoming a hi...

 Two Paths, One Destination: Why Comparing ISRO and SpaceX Reveals the Future of Global Spaceflight  |  Blog  By Ravi Gopal SpaceX vs. ISRO: Two Paths, One Destination — Space I In the world of space exploration, two names dominate headlines like no others: ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) and SpaceX . As of April 2026, SpaceX has completed a staggering 640 Falcon-family launches , achieving 637 full successes with a success rate of 99.53% , including a record 165 orbital missions in 2025 alone — roughly one launch every 2.2 days. In contrast, ISRO’s powerful LVM3 heavy-lift rocket maintains a flawless 9-for-9 success record across all its operational missions. These two organisations are frequently pitted against each other in heated social media debates, YouTube breakdowns, and policy discussions. Yet they represent fundamentally different models of spaceflight. One is a government-backed national institution deeply rooted in societal development and...