Regardless of the workload, he highlighted the robust camaraderie between astronauts and mission management.
New Delhi: On the NXT Conclave 2025, NASA astronaut Dr. Mike Massimino and main Indian area entrepreneurs got here collectively to debate the wonders of area exploration, the rise of personal launchpads, and India’s quickly increasing area sector. The panel featured esteemed consultants, together with Mr. Tanveer Ahmed, Co-Founder & CTO of Digantara; Srinath Ravichandran, Co-Founder & CEO of Agnikul Cosmos; Mr. Rohan M. Ganapathy, CEO & CTO of Bellatrix Aerospace Pvt. Ltd.; and Dr. Mike Massimino, a veteran NASA astronaut.
All through the dialogue, the panelists shared their insights on area know-how developments, private-sector alternatives, and India’s growing international affect in area exploration. The session underscored how privatization, mixed with robust authorities backing, is positioning India as a number one hub for area innovation. The information and experiences shared by business consultants reaffirmed India’s vibrant future as a key participant in international area missions.
Dr. Mike Massimino, a NASA astronaut with intensive spaceflight expertise, described his time past Earth as nothing in need of “magical.” He expressed the combination of exhilaration and duty that accompanies area journey. “It’s an enchanting expertise—each thrilling and annoying. You’re totally centered in your mission, making certain all the pieces is executed completely. My missions came about on the area shuttle, the place we serviced the Hubble Area Telescope throughout spacewalks.
The Hubble is a unprecedented scientific instrument, liable for groundbreaking discoveries,” he shared.
Regardless of the depth of the work, he emphasised the camaraderie amongst astronauts and mission management groups. “It’s a job, however on the identical time, it’s pure magic to be up there. The teamwork between my crew members and the devoted professionals on the bottom—those that educated us and those that monitored us from mission management—was really outstanding,” Massimino added.
He additionally expressed his admiration for India and shared his pleasure about visiting the nation for the primary time. “That is my first time in India, however oddly sufficient, I really feel like I’ve been right here earlier than. From area, I’ve flown over India numerous occasions and at all times admired it from above,” he remarked, additional underscoring the deep connection between area exploration and international unity.
Srinath Ravichandran, Co-Founder & CEO of Agnikul Cosmos, shared his journey in constructing a non-public area firm in India, recalling preliminary skepticism about its legality. He famous that by 2022, growing authorities help enabled them to determine a non-public launchpad. Reflecting on early challenges, he emphasised the problem of securing investor confidence in personal area ventures.
Rohan M. Ganapathy, CEO & CTO of Bellatrix Aerospace, highlighted the significance of area propulsion for missions to the Moon and Mars. Whereas aspiring to journey to area himself, he stays centered on growing superior applied sciences. He additionally identified India’s speedy personal area development, from simply 4 startups in 2018 to over 300 immediately, marking a big business growth.
