New Delhi: The first set of satellites of India’s privately-built national earth observation constellation is expected to be launched next year by a consortium of start-ups led by Bengaluru-based Pixxel Space.
The Pixxel-led consortium signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (INSPACe) in Bengaluru Tuesday to build India’s first indigenous commercial earth observation satellite constellation.
The other partners in the consortium that will build and deploy the 12-satellite consortium are PierSight, SatSure Analytics India and Dhruva Space.
By entrusting this over Rs 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 at a global scale, Pixxel Space co-founder and CEO Awais Ahmed said.
Pixxel said by the first quarter of 2027, the consortium plans to have the first four satellites in orbit, with the rest of the constellation rolling out in phases over the following years.
The 12 satellites will deliver very high-resolution optical, multispectral, SAR, and hyperspectral imaging and provide reliable access to EO data for Indian government users, coordinated through IN-SPACe.
The mission will also allow the consortium to enable global commercialisation of the earth observation data across sectors such as agriculture, environment, infrastructure, energy, and maritime.
This mission also advances Pixxel’s goal of building a full-stack intelligence and infrastructure layer to serve as a health monitor for the planet.
Moving beyond occasional observation to continuous understanding, Pixxel’s planetary intelligence data will reveal patterns, risks, and opportunities before they become crises.
In August last year, the Pixxel-led consortium won the government contract to build India’s first commercial earth observation satellite constellation.
The consortium had placed a zero bid to bag the contract, forgoing Rs 350 crore of government support to design, build and operate the constellation of satellites.