Ahmedabad: The Gujarat Government today announced the development of Common Technical Facilities (CTF) for the space technology sector as part of the Space Manufacturing Park at GIDC Khoraj. The facility is being designed in close collaboration with IN-SPACe to ensure alignment with national standards and the requirements of both established companies and emerging enterprises.

These Common Technical Facilities are intended to provide access to shared, high-quality testing and validation infrastructure that is typically difficult for startups and MSMEs to access independently. By enabling access to such facilities through a common platform, the State Government aims to support faster product development cycles and improve the reliability of space-grade systems, thereby providing a significant boost to the domestic space technology ecosystem, a press release said.

The Common Technical Facilities being developed at GIDC Khoraj include:

• Cleanroom (Class 100,000) with safety systems
• A thermo-vacuum chamber for environmental simulation
• A vibration testing system capable of handling payloads of up to 12 tonnes
• EMI/EMC testing facilities
• A climate test chamber
• Mass properties measurement systems
• Magnetic field testing infrastructure
• Facilities for the calibration of Earth observation optics

For the development of the CTF, IN-SPACe will provide technical support to the State Government along with a financial contribution of up to Rs 100 crore for equipment. The State Government will contribute additional funds required for the construction and operation of the facilities and the Space Manufacturing Park.

This initiative is expected to significantly strengthen the participation of startups and MSMEs in the space sector by lowering entry barriers and enabling access to essential technical infrastructure. The shared model will allow companies to test and qualify their components and systems within the state itself.

Speaking on the inaugural day of the 10th edition of IN-SPACe Industry Connect, Minister for Science and Technology Arjun Modhwadia expressed confidence in the capabilities of the state’s youth. He assured that the Government of Gujarat would continue to work closely with IN-SPACe and industry stakeholders to propel Gujarat’s space economy into orbit.

The State Government has earmarked 50 acres, expandable to 100 acres, at GIDC Khoraj for the development of a dedicated Space Manufacturing Park. Ms P. Bharathi, IAS, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology (DST), and Ms Neha Kumari, IAS, Mission Director, GSEM, who were also present on the occasion, informed that the Space Park at Khoraj will focus on end-to-end spacecraft, payload systems, and space-based applications design. DeshGujarat