NEW DELHI/BENGALURU: In a significant boost for India’s private space sector, three Indian space-tech startups—Pixxel, Digantara, and XDLINX Space Labs—successfully launched their advanced satellites on Wednesday. The satellites were aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-12 rideshare mission, which lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, USA, at 1915 GMT (just after midnight in India).
Pixxel: Leading India’s First Private Satellite Constellation
Pixxel launched the first three satellites of its Firefly constellation, marking India’s first private satellite constellation and achieving a global milestone. These hyperspectral satellites boast an unprecedented 5-meter resolution—six times sharper than the 30-meter standard of most current hyperspectral satellites.
- “The successful deployment of our first commercial satellites is a defining moment for Pixxel and a giant leap toward redefining how we use space technology to address the planet’s challenges,” said Awais Ahmed, Founder and CEO of Pixxel.
- The company plans to launch three more Firefly satellites in the second quarter of 2025.
Digantara: Revolutionizing Space Safety
Digantara launched its SCOT satellite to improve space safety and track Resident Space Objects (RSOs). This marks the world’s first commercial Space Situational Awareness (SSA) satellite, specifically designed to monitor Low Earth Orbit (LEO) with enhanced efficiency.
- Supported by Aditya Birla Ventures and SIDBI, the satellite aims to bolster national security and space operations.
XDLINX Space Labs: E-Band Communications Innovation
Hyderabad-based XDLINX Space Labs debuted its ELEVATION-1 technology demonstrator satellite, the first-ever Satcom E-band communications satellite. This satellite is poised to push data transmission rates into the 10Gbps range.
- “ELEVATION worked. Within the first appearance over India, just a few hours after separation, it signaled us. We are thrilled,” said Syed Ahmed, payload scientist at XDLINX.
The successful launch underscores the growing capabilities of Indian startups in the global space ecosystem, showcasing cutting-edge innovations in earth monitoring, space safety, and communication technologies.
