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The panel for discussion on ‘NXT in Space’ includes 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, NASA Astronaut. The panelists discussed about space.
#NXTConclave2025 | NASA Astronaut Dr. Mike Massimino, alongside Tanveer Ahmed, Srinath Ravichandran, and Rohan M Ganapathy, shares his experience of space travel, calling it a “magical” journey. He discusses the wonders of space exploration and the future of India’s role in the… pic.twitter.com/8rXuNhkKEB
— NewsX World (@NewsX) February 28, 2025
‘Being In Space Is Magical’, Says Dr. Mike Massimo
Dr. Mike Massimo, a NASA Astronaut shares about how it feels to be in space; he said, “It’s magical. It’s interesting because it’s a bit stressful because you’re doing your job, whatever that might be on your mission. My missions were both on the space shuttle going to the two missions of the Hubble Space Telescope. So we did a lot of spacewalking, and the Hubble Space Telescope is this great instrument, very important, making great discoveries.”
Furthermore, he stated, “It’s work. But at the same time, it’s just magical to be up there. The teamwork that we had with my crew and working with the people on the ground—those who prepared us and those who took care of us in mission control—supported us during the missions.” He also mentioned that this was his first time in India, but he felt like he had been here before because he had seen it so often from space as we fly over it and I would admire it.
Rohan Talks About ‘Space Propulsion And Mobility’
Rohan M. Ganapathy said, “Well, that’s the final goal for anybody getting into space entrepreneurship, for example, you always have this fascination of going to space, but build technologies that go to space,” on being asked if ever wished to go to the space. Moreover, he stated, “We work on space propulsion and mobility. Going to the moon, going to Mars. That’s where we come. And we’d love to see a future where that becomes a reality.”
“Going to the moon, going to Mars in our lifetime. And now that India is also awakening to privatization in the space sector, so are, believe me or not, in 2018, there were four companies. Now there are 300 companies in India working on space,” added Rohan.
Srinath Ravichandran Says, ‘We Are Able To Set Up Our Own Private Launchpad’
Srinath Ravichandran shared his opinion on working with the government in terms of the support he needed to set up a private space company. “So when we started in 2017, literally the number of people who ask me the question of whether it’s even legal to build a private rocket company in India is way too many to answer. Yeah, right. And from there, in 2022, with the government support, we were able to set up our own private launchpad within the country.”
Moreover, he added that, he thinks, that has been a marvelous transformation in the early years. “I mean, as a founder, raising money is one of the things that you always think about. A lot of questions where, you know, they had to figure out the best explanation to say, Will India allow you to launch privately? Right.”
NXT Conclave: What It Is About?
As nations navigate complex economic landscapes, rapid technological advancements, and the urgency of sustainability, NXT Conclave 2025 served as a catalyst for action. Designed to accelerate innovation, influence global policymaking, and foster strategic collaborations, NXT plays a defining role in shaping the future of industries, economies, and societies.
With exclusive leadership roundtables, NXT brought together the brightest minds to forge partnerships that drive sustainable growth, technological advancement, and geopolitical stability.
The inaugural NXT Conclave 2025 will bring together some of the most influential global leaders, with Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi as the Chief Guest, reaffirming India’s leadership in global governance and innovation.
Watch the whole session here:
