Four days after Mangalyaan made history, a cartoon in The New York Times showed an Indian farmer holding the news while two suited men sat behind a ‘Elite Space Club’ sign. The backlash was real; but maybe the cartoon hit too close to home? Fast forward to 2026, and India’s private sector just launched its first orbital rocket successfully; Skyroot’s Vikram-1; with help from ISRO’s own labs. That’s not competition. That’s collaboration. The government opened the space sector in 2020, created IN-SPACe, and let startups fly; literally. Now, 285 space startups have raised $871 million. Big names like Skyroot, Pixxel, and AgniKul are leading, but more are joining with serious funding. The secret sauce? Frugal engineering meets entrepreneurial grit. India spends less than 1% of GDP on R&D; yet keeps making breakthroughs. Now, the real test: balancing science, social needs, and global business. Because space isn’t just for billionaires or superpowers anymore. India’s proving it can be for everyone; and that’s the real mission.