India’s expanding space industry needs more than satellites and rocket technology to realize its potential. Astrobase Space Technologies co-founder and CEO Neeraj Khandelwal says the biggest gap in India’s space ecosystem is launch capacity the ability to put payloads into orbit frequently, reliably and at scale.
Khandelwal has argued that India’s next phase of space development will depend on creating an ecosystem capable of building, testing and launching spacecraft repeatedly rather than relying primarily on individual missions.
In a Hindustan Times article, he said the country’s space story is moving from mission-based achievements to industrial-scale capability.
The issue is particularly urgent in India’s space sector as private companies enter. More satellite businesses are developing applications for communication and Earth observation, navigation, defence and data services. A larger number of satellites, however, also creates greater demand for reliable access to orbit.
Astrobase is positioning itself around this. The Bengaluru-based company is developing propulsion systems, launch vehicles and infrastructure to enable more frequent access to space.
Its stated intent is to develop launch capability which will make it possible to go on a mission and not just make a single launch an event.
The company unveiled EVEREST in August 2026, an 80-tonne-class, 800 kN full-flow staged combustion rocket engine that uses liquid oxygen and methane. Astrobase said that the engine is meant for a reusable launch vehicle and can support multiple flight cycles.
The company has also received support from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre’s Technology Adoption Fund for development of its indigenous 800 kN LOX-methane engine.
Astrobase says the programme aims to strengthen domestic propulsion capabilities and lower dependence on overseas technology.
Khandelwal’s comments come as India’s private space industry expands its ambitions. Private launch companies are working on orbital rockets, reusable systems and new propulsion technologies, while satellite startups are looking for more launch opportunities.
Astrobase’s own roadmap mirrors this horizon. The company says it will conduct a booster recovery hop test in 2027 and plans its first orbital launch in 2028.
Its launch vehicle concept is based on reusability and quick turnaround, and its larger mission in the long run is to make access to orbit more frequent and scalable.
The launch capacity challenge is therefore not just about building more rockets. It also involves manufacturing, propulsion testing, launch infrastructure, payload integration, recovery systems and the ability to maintain readiness between missions.
As India strives to expand its space economy, the development of these capabilities might be part of the way to the country’s transition from successful individual missions to a larger commercial space industry.
