Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) selected PixxelSpace India led consortium of four private firm to build India's first fully indigenous commercial EO.
- Other firms include Piersight Space, Satsure Analytics India, and Dhruva Space
About the Programme
- Technology:
- 12 Satellites will have all-weather, day-night imaging capacity.
- They will be equipped with panchromatic, multispectral, hyperspectral sensors, and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR).
- PPP model:
- Government Role: Strategic, technical, and policy support
- Private Sector: Own and operate EO systems (manufacturing, Indian launches, ground infrastructure, and data commercialisation).
- Applications: Deliver Analysis Ready Data (ARD) and Value-Added Services for Climate change monitoring, Disaster management, Agriculture planning, serving for high-quality geospatial intelligence among others.
- Deployment Tenure: Four years
About India’s private space industry
- Economic Size: India’s space economy is currently worth $8 billion, with the potential to reach $100 billion by 2040 through strong private sector involvement.
- Rising Private Sector:
- Over 200 space startups have emerged.
- Example, Vikram-S, was India’s first rocket launched under Mission Prarambh
- Industry associations, such as the Indian Space Association (ISpA), play a key role in fostering collaboration.
- Over 200 space startups have emerged.
- Government Support
- IN-SPACe was set up to boost private participation in space activities
- Indian Space Policy 2023: Provides regulatory clarity and policy stability
- Liberalisation: 100% FDI allowed
- Venture Capital Fund: A fund of ₹1,000 crore fund has been approved to finance startups
