Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu inaugurated India’s first super pressure balloon by Red Balloon Aerospace in Vijayawada, calling it a major milestone for the country’s growing space-tech ecosystem. The balloon technology can carry payloads up to the stratosphere at nearly 25 kilometers above ground, opening new opportunities for aerospace, defense and research startups. Naidu praised Andhra Pradesh’s emergence as a future technology hub with data centers, AI, quantum technology and the upcoming Space City near Sriharikota. Highlighting India’s rapid progress after missions like Chandrayaan and Mangalyaan, the minister said the country’s space industry aims to grow from an $8 billion sector to $40 billion in the next decade. He assured full government support for innovation-driven startups in space and aerospace sectors.