November 16, 2012
Sri Lanka's first communication satellite is expected
to be launched on November 22, 2012 from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in
China. This geostationary satellite would get operational by mid-2013 for
commercial purposes. The satellite is partly owned by a private company, Sri
Lanka's first Satellite Company called SupremeSAT. The cost of the project is
expected to be around US$ 360 million. According to the Chairman of the company,
the project is a joint venture with two Chinese companies, China Great Wall
Industry Corporation (CGWIC) and Sino Satellite Communications Company Ltd. The
project also includes the construction of a satellite Content Management
Station and a Space Academy at Kandy.
CGWIC is China's State-owned company and is assisting
SupremeSAT (Pvt) Ltd with regard to design, manufacturing and launching of the
satellite. The Sri Lankan company also has plans to launch a fully owned
satellite in December 2015. In August 2012 the foundation stone for the
proposed Space Academy of SupremeSAT was laid at Kandy by China’s Vice Minister
of Industries and Information Technology. The academy is expected to promote
space science within Sri Lanka. A Satellite Ground Station would also be part
of this Academy, which would train scientists to handle communication satellite
operations. It appears that Sri Lanka has a great space vision for the future
and even proposes to undertake training astronauts in its academy.
With the launch of the communication satellite,
SupremeSAT would become the 27th private company in the world to own a
satellite. Interestingly, the company has already started negotiating with the
Maldives and Afghanistan to build satellites for them.
Sri Lanka has been toying with an idea of launching a
satellite for the last few years. In 2009, the Sri Lanka Space Agency (SLASA)
had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Surrey Satellite Technology
Ltd. (SSTL), a British company. As per this MoU, SSTL would launch an Earth
Observation satellite for Sri Lanka and is also expected to help in designing
Sri Lanka’s communications satellite. However, not much is known about this
project presently, and may be the agreement no longer holds good. Is the British
company’s loss China’s state-owned CGWIC’s gain?
China’s engagement with Sri Lanka in the area of space
technology is along expected lines. It is obvious that the deal is actually a
result of their strong bilateral relationship. At the same time it is also
important to note that space technologies have acquired a special status in
China’s geopolitical stratagem. China is not only using this expertise to
cement existing bilateral associations but also as a tool for fresh
engagements. China has been found using its expertise in space technologies as
a tool of diplomacy both for economic and strategic gains. It is also keen to
expand its market share while at the same not making commerce the sole purpose
of its external investments. China is choosing its partners in the space arena
very carefully, fully mindful of the geostrategic advantages such investments
offer. It is helping states in Africa, Latin America and South East Asia to
develop their space programmes. The oil and mineral resources factor is also obvious
in such investments. Moreover, some states are being engaged with the hidden
motive of winning over the supporters of Taiwan to the Chinese side.
China’s engagement with Sri Lankan signifies the
inroads it is making into the South Asian region via space diplomacy. The
region is home to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan
and Sri Lanka—a group of mainly poor but strategically important states from
China’s point of view. It is an irony that the only ‘developed state’ in this
grouping, India, which is also a credible space power, has allowed China to use
space diplomacy in the region effectively. Sri Lanka is not the first country
in the region that China is assisting in the space arena. In August 2011, China
had launched a communications satellite for Pakistan as well. Now, using the
Sri Lankan example, China is reaching out to Afghanistan and Maldives too.
Why are various countries looking towards China for
assistance in building and launching satellites? In general, China has been
using its global position, economic strength and technological attainments
astutely including in the space arena to attract developing states. In certain
cases China has been found funding the space programmes of some states or
providing them with long term loans along with technical assistance.
Communication satellites appear to be the key requirement of developing states
and China is able to help them in this regard.
India still does not possess the expertise to launch
satellites in the category of three tons or more and hence is unable to help
developing countries launch communication satellites. However, there are very
many other areas where India could offer assistance to its South Asian
neighbours as well as other countries, such as developing the ground
infrastructure, training, designing and launching small satellites and remote
sensing satellites, etc. Bangladesh has also signed an agreement with a
US-based company to launch its first satellite and this satellite is expected
to be launched by 2015.
Till date India has launched 29 satellites for other
countries either under commercial terms or otherwise. What is required is for
India to become more proactive in this field and exploit its space proficiency
to gain diplomatic advantage. Probably, hitherto, India had never thought of
using space as an instrument of ‘influence’, but this needs to change. However,
this is not likely to happen swiftly. India faces one major technological
limitation and also probably lacks policy initiatives. There is a requirement
to change the current mindset. The technological challenge is that India is yet
to master the art of developing cryogenic engines which, in turn, would allow
it to launch heavy satellites into geostationary orbits. For launch of
satellites in other categories, even though India has a reliable launcher in
the form of the PSLV, it still lacks the required infrastructure to undertake
quick launches. While China can manage more than 20 rocket launches in one
year, India manages hardly one or two launches per year; this needs to change.
Growth in the private sector is a must for any budding space programme and this
is one critical area where India needs to cover much ground.
India has much to learn from China with regard to
using space as an ‘instrument of influence’ and also needs to expand the global
footprint of its expertise. It is important to appreciate that the business
model of space should involve policy initiatives that extend benefits beyond
the commercial arena. Space technology is akin to nuclear technology and allows
state to use it for the purpose of diplomatic advantage. Technology in general
and space technology in particular could be viewed as one of the important
drivers for maintaining the global strategic balance. It is therefore important
that India begins to use its space proficiency shrewdly to raise its
international stature instead of getting trapped into academic arguments such
as a space race with China!
