An agreement has been formalised between the Indian Government agency IN-SPACE and a consortia of four Indian firms for designing, building, launching, and operating a dozen-strong constellation of Earth-imaging satellites. This is the first time in India that a group of private firms would be building and operating a fleet of multi-purpose satellites, a task that so far has been undertaken only by the Government-run space agency ISRO. The Indian government agency IN-SPACE is responsible for promoting and supporting private space companies.&nbsp;&nbsp;The private consortium comprising Indian firms Pixxel, Dhruva Space, PierSight, and Satsure would invest more than ₹1,200 crore (approx $130 million) over the next five years to launch the 12-satellite fleet in a phased manner. They would be combining their strengths in space hardware, analytics, and mission operations to create an end-to-end ecosystem spanning satellites, ground infrastructure, value-added services, and end-user analytics.&nbsp;This satellite fleet is meant to be placed in a near-Earth orbit (between 500-2000 km above the surface), and is meant to have diverse Earth-imaging capabilities. It will be equipped with the following imaging capabilities: panchromatic (black-and-white imagery for mapping), multispectral (imagery using different colour-filters to study land, soil, water, hyperspectral (high-precision imagery to identify crop type, map minerals, detect chemical/biological activity), and microwave SAR (all-weather, day and night imagery using radar waves).&nbsp;&nbsp;The programme is expected to provide reliable access to Earth observation data for Indian government users, coordinated through IN-SPACE, while also enabling global commercialisation across sectors such as agriculture, environment, infrastructure, energy, and maritime.&nbsp;&nbsp;“For the first time, India will control its own Earth intelligence infrastructure, designed and operated by Indian companies, serving Indian needs first and global markets second. By entrusting this ₹1,200+ crore national project to a consortium of Indian startups, the government validates the country’s private space ecosystem and its ability to deliver infrastructure on a global scale,” said Awais Ahmed, Founder and CEO of Pixxel.

The firms will be combining their strengths in space hardware, analytics, and mission operations to create an end-to-end ecosystem spanning satellites, ground infrastructure, value-added services, and end-user analytics.

An agreement has been formalised between the Indian Government agency IN-SPACE and a consortia of four Indian firms for designing, building, launching, and operating a dozen-strong constellation of Earth-imaging satellites. This is the first time in India that a group of private firms would be building and operating a fleet of multi-purpose satellites, a task that so far has been undertaken only by the Government-run space agency ISRO. The Indian government agency IN-SPACE is responsible for promoting and supporting private space companies. The private consortium comprising Indian firms Pixxel, Dhruva Space, PierSight, and Satsure would invest more than ₹1,200 crore (approx $130 million) over the next five years to launch the 12-satellite fleet in a phased manner. They would be combining their strengths in space hardware, analytics, and mission operations to create an end-to-end ecosystem spanning satellites, ground infrastructure, value-added services, and end-user analytics. This satellite fleet is meant to be placed in a near-Earth orbit (between 500-2000 km above the surface), and is meant to have diverse Earth-imaging capabilities. It will be equipped with the following imaging capabilities: panchromatic (black-and-white imagery for mapping), multispectral (imagery using different colour-filters to study land, soil, water, hyperspectral (high-precision imagery to identify crop type, map minerals, detect chemical/biological activity), and microwave SAR (all-weather, day and night imagery using radar waves). The programme is expected to provide reliable access to Earth observation data for Indian government users, coordinated through IN-SPACE, while also enabling global commercialisation across sectors such as agriculture, environment, infrastructure, energy, and maritime. “For the first time, India will control its own Earth intelligence infrastructure, designed and operated by Indian companies, serving Indian needs first and global markets second. By entrusting this ₹1,200+ crore national project to a consortium of Indian startups, the government validates the country’s private space ecosystem and its ability to deliver infrastructure on a global scale,” said Awais Ahmed, Founder and CEO of Pixxel.

The firms will be combining their strengths in space hardware, analytics, and mission operations to create an end-to-end ecosystem spanning satellites, ground infrastructure, value-added services, and end-user analytics.

Indian firms to build 12 Earth-imaging satellites for $130mn, supply data to Govt

The Indian space sector regulator and facilitator, the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) has given the authorisation to an Indian firm to build a facility that can be used to track and communicate with satellites.

The Indian space sector regulator and facilitator, the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) has given the authorisation to an Indian firm to build a facility that can be used to track and communicate with satellites. Commonly known as a satellite ground station or an earth station, such facilities perform what is known as Telemetry, Tracking, and Command (TT&C). This involves tracking satellites, issuing commands to satellites, monitoring their health, and downloading data from satellites. This approval for a private satellite ground station is in line with the Indian government's decision to permit private firms to perform all kinds of space activities. Indian companies have already launched experimental rockets and are gearing up for space launches. Meanwhile, multiple Indian-built satellites have been launched from India and abroad. Likewise, the Indian government has now approved the setting up of a ground station by the firm AzistaBST. Dr P K Jain, Director- Program Management and Authorization Directorate (PMAD), IN-SPACe, said, "This authorisation is yet another step by the Government to encourage and enable Indian satellite operators who will now have alternative Indian ground station service providers for their satellite operations and data reception in the UHF band." Watch | US charges North Korean man with cyberattacks on NASA × While the government-run Indian space agency ISRO operates its own tracking facilities, the private one is aimed at domestic and international customers. Many firms that operate satellites do not invest in their own ground stations, which are quite expensive to set up. Instead, they depend on those who operate ground stations and offer their service for a price. The space industry calls it Ground Station as a Service (GSaaS). The private ground station has been approved to operate in the Ultra High Frequency(UHF) band of 300 MHz to 3 GHz. This band is primarily used for satellite communications, including data relay for remote sensing, telemetry, and control of satellites. They support various applications such as weather forecasting, environmental monitoring, and communications for scientific research and military operations. An Indian Earth-imaging satellite constellation In an unprecedented move, the Indian government and private sector are to unite for building a constellation of earth-imaging satellites with multiple sensors. Operating a constellation comprising dozens or hundreds of satellites can help in getting a comprehensive global coverage, and the capability of imaging the same location at regular intervals. Such constellations serve various commercial, scientific and strategic purposes. This includes disaster management, agricultural monitoring, studying environmental changes and surveillance of sensitive areas. As the first step towards building such a constellation, the IN-SPACe released an Expression of Interest (EOI). It invites private Indian firms to build and manage a constellation under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. This long-term project involves the design, development, launch, and maintenance of a constellation of satellites equipped with advanced imaging technologies. These satellites would be placed in Low Earth orbit (a region that is 300-2000 km above the Earth's surface). As they are very close to the Earth, satellites placed in LEO can capture very high-resolution pictures and short videos and can transmit them in near-real-time. Also read: NASA shows how carbon dioxide gets churned in sky in stunning video Dr Pawan Goenka, Chairman, IN-SPACe said, "This is an initiative by IN-SPACe & ISRO towards creating a self-reliant, robust, and sustainable Earth Observation System catering to the growing demand for Earth Observation data." The satellites in the proposed constellation are meant to carry a combination of sensors such as panchromatic, multispectral, hyperspectral, and microwave. Once built and tested, these satellites would be placed in orbit by Indian rockets. It must be noted that building and maintaining a satellite constellation is a constant process. In this case, the private firm would have to monitor the health of all satellites in the constellation, download the data generated by the satellites, process the data and offer it for a multitude of applications. The private entity will also have the option of developing their own ground-based facilities to communicate with the satellites, upload commands and download data. Alternatively, they could use the ground-based facilities of Ground Stations as a Service (GSaaS) providers such as AzisatBST. Therefore, this entire project is capable of generating a significant amount of economic activity within India.

Indian government approves satellite tracking facility in Hyderabad

In line with the Indian Government's vision of supporting emerging startups in the country's space sector, IN-SPACe, the sector regulator and facilitator has established and inaugurated the IN-SPACe technical centre in Bopal, Ahmedabad. This new facility is equipped with the resources to support the fledgling firms in designing, developing, simulating and testing of space technologies. The Government is offering these facilities to startups, as most firms would not be able to set up such expensive facilities on their own.&nbsp;

As we aim to grow our share in the global space economy share from 2 per cent to 8 per cent by 2033, we have come up with new policies and eased restrictions for investments as well as space startups. The opening up of FDI in the space sector is one such progressive step to boost private space efforts and make India self-reliant in space technology, said Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science &amp; Technology.&nbsp;

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According to Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre, (IN-SPACe), the centre features a range of facilities including the Climate Simulation Test Facility (CSTF), the Thermal and Vacuum Environment Simulation Facility (TVAC), the Vibration Test Facility (VTF), the Space Systems Assembly Integration Testing &amp; Checkout Laboratory, the RF and Opto-Electronics Laboratory and Clean Rooms for Assembly, Integration and Testing activities.&nbsp;

Simply put, these facilities would help firms test their hardware under harsh space-like conditions. For example, during a rocket flight, a satellite is subject to high levels of noise and vibration from the launch vehicle that is piercing through the dense layers of earth's atmosphere and heading towards space. Likewise, once in space, the satellite faces extreme temperature variations and exposure to radiation. Therefore, it is important to intensively test expensive space hardware for operating in such conditions before getting them integrated into a rocket or satellite.&nbsp;

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Dr Pawan Goenka, Chairman of IN-SPACe, emphasised the collaborative opportunities the Centre offers, "IN-SPACe Technical centre is equipped with&nbsp;state-of-the-art technical facilities for simulation, assembly and integration of space systems, and collaborative workspaces, with an aim to create a one stop solution for Non-Government Entities to transform their initial designs into full-fledged space products/solutions. By enabling access to essential development and testing infrastructure under one roof, IN-SPACe endeavours to democratise availability of tech-infrastructure for all Space NGEs from early stage startups to large established companies, and create conducive ecosystem for private industry to grow in the space sector".

In line with the Indian Government's vision of supporting emerging startups in the country's space sector, IN-SPACe, the sector regulator and facilitator has established and inaugurated the IN-SPACe technical centre in Bopal, Ahmedabad.

In line with the Indian Government's vision of supporting emerging startups in the country's space sector, IN-SPACe, the sector regulator and facilitator has established and inaugurated the IN-SPACe technical centre in Bopal, Ahmedabad. This new facility is equipped with the resources to support the fledgling firms in designing, developing, simulating and testing of space technologies. The Government is offering these facilities to startups, as most firms would not be able to set up such expensive facilities on their own. As we aim to grow our share in the global space economy share from 2 per cent to 8 per cent by 2033, we have come up with new policies and eased restrictions for investments as well as space startups. The opening up of FDI in the space sector is one such progressive step to boost private space efforts and make India self-reliant in space technology, said Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology. Also read | PM Modi inaugurates India's first underwater metro, other projects worth $220mn According to Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre, (IN-SPACe), the centre features a range of facilities including the Climate Simulation Test Facility (CSTF), the Thermal and Vacuum Environment Simulation Facility (TVAC), the Vibration Test Facility (VTF), the Space Systems Assembly Integration Testing & Checkout Laboratory, the RF and Opto-Electronics Laboratory and Clean Rooms for Assembly, Integration and Testing activities. Simply put, these facilities would help firms test their hardware under harsh space-like conditions. For example, during a rocket flight, a satellite is subject to high levels of noise and vibration from the launch vehicle that is piercing through the dense layers of earth's atmosphere and heading towards space. Likewise, once in space, the satellite faces extreme temperature variations and exposure to radiation. Therefore, it is important to intensively test expensive space hardware for operating in such conditions before getting them integrated into a rocket or satellite. Also read | Singapore approves Air India-Vistara merger with conditions: Report Dr Pawan Goenka, Chairman of IN-SPACe, emphasised the collaborative opportunities the Centre offers, "IN-SPACe Technical centre is equipped with state-of-the-art technical facilities for simulation, assembly and integration of space systems, and collaborative workspaces, with an aim to create a one stop solution for Non-Government Entities to transform their initial designs into full-fledged space products/solutions. By enabling access to essential development and testing infrastructure under one roof, IN-SPACe endeavours to democratise availability of tech-infrastructure for all Space NGEs from early stage startups to large established companies, and create conducive ecosystem for private industry to grow in the space sector".

India: Space startups get new facility to design, develop, simulate and test tech

India's space regulator IN-SPACe on Thursday said about 30 space launches, including seven by private start-ups are scheduled in the fourth quarter of 2023-24 and the next fiscal.

Space regulator IN-SPACe releases plans for 30 launches in 15 months

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