Coming Wednesday, India's Most Renowned Space Writer Takes You Through the Economics of ISRO's Spacecrafts!
It is rocket science, and also its economics & sociology. Join Jatan Mehta as he explores the engineering, history, economics & sociology of India's frugal rockets especially PSLVs.
Dear Space Buffs,
How many times have you heard, “it’s not rocket science,” while hearing about something simple. What if we tell you that we got you a lecture on rocket science, but not just rocket science, but also, its economics and history.
Jatan Mehta, one of India’s most noted space writers, unpacks ISRO’s rockets for you in this unique lecture. Because rocket science is not just science anymore! It is history, economics, manufacturing, geopolitics, national ambition, private capital, and public imagination all compressed into a single machine trying to leave Earth.
India’s space story is often narrated as a triumph of frugality. A nation with limited resources built rockets that reached the Moon, Mars, and beyond. The PSLV became a symbol of engineering restraint turned into ambition, carrying satellites for India and for the world.
But how far does that story hold up today?
As private space companies redraw the economics of launch systems and countries like China scale manufacturing at enormous speed, the old equation of “cheapest is best” begins to shift. When does affordability stop being enough? When does raw capability matter more? And what exactly makes a rocket economically competitive in the first place?
This edition of Pint of View explores those questions with our most seasoned and loved lecturers, the space writer and journalist Jatan Mehta.
About the Lecture
In the 20th century, while the world’s elite space powers were sending spacecraft to the Moon and beyond, ISRO built the PSLV: a humble rocket designed primarily to place modest satellites into Earth orbit for the country’s infrastructure needs.
Over decades of refinement, that same rocket went on to launch lunar orbiters, Mars missions, solar observatories, space telescopes, and even a record 104 satellites in a single flight. It became a source of national pride and a case study in engineering efficiency.
But the global space race has changed. SpaceX transformed launch economics through reusable rockets. China emerged as a manufacturing powerhouse with rapidly expanding space ambitions. In this new landscape, what matters more: low cost or sheer capability? Efficiency or scale? Frugality or horsepower?
This lecture unpacks the economics and sociology of modern space transportation systems and examines where India truly stands in the changing global space order.
About the Speaker
Jatan Mehta is a globally published and cited space writer and journalist covering India’s rapidly evolving space ecosystem.
He authors Indian Space Progress, a monthly report tracking India’s space capabilities and developments in the international arena. He also writes Moon Monday, a widely read newsletter dedicated to lunar exploration and missions around the world, including India’s Chandrayaan programme.
His work combines technical understanding with accessible storytelling, making developments in rocketry, policy, and exploration intelligible to wider audiences. Over the years, he has become one of the most closely followed independent voices documenting India’s journey into space.
You can read his work at jatan.space 🌙
Event Details
📍 Fandom at Gilly’s Redefined, Koramangala
📅 Wednesday, 20 May
⏰ 7 PM – 9 PM
What Your Ticket Includes
1 complimentary appetiser or mocktail
1 freshly brewed Geist beer
Valet Parking
An evening about rockets and its economics, yes, but also about the societies that build them, the economies that sustain them, and the futures they hold within them.
Warmly,
Harsh and Shruti
Founders, Pint of View