‘Democratizing space’ is more than just adding new players – it comes with questions around sustainability and sovereignty

A black and white photo of India from space shows brilliant lights across the country for a Diwali celebration.

This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Space.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.

“India is on the Moon,” S. Somanath, chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization, announced in August 2023. The announcement meant India had joined the short list of countries to have visited the Moon, and the applause and shouts of joy that followed signified that this achievement wasn’t just a scientific one, but a cultural one.