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India’s first commercial earth observation satellite constellation approved
India’s first commercial earth observation satellite constellation approved
Space regulator IN-SPACe has signed a PPP agreement with a private consortium for India’s first fully commercial earth observation satellite constellation. Minister Jitendra Singh told the Lok Sabha on Wednesday that the…
The Story in Brief
Space regulator IN-SPACe has signed a PPP agreement with a private consortium for India’s first fully commercial earth observation satellite constellation. Minister Jitendra Singh told the Lok Sabha on Wednesday that the consortium, Allied Orbits Private Limited, is led by Pixxel Space India and includes Dhruva Space, PierSight Space and Satsure Analytics India. It will invest over Rs 1,200 crore to build and operate a 12-satellite fleet by 2029.
The satellites will have panchromatic, multispectral, hyperspectral and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) capabilities. All will be manufactured in India, launched on Indian vehicles, and controlled from Indian ground stations. The programme includes five ultra-high resolution optical satellites, three multispectral, two hyperspectral and two SAR satellites.
The Indian Opinion
Headlines call this a giant leap for India’s space industry, but the real test is execution. The consortium must raise Rs 1,200 crore, build 12 satellites with four different sensor types, and launch them all on Indian rockets by 2029. Past private space projects have missed deadlines. The claim of full commerciality also needs a pinch of salt, IN-SPACe remains the regulator and the PPP model keeps government hands on the wheel. Watch whether the consortium actually gets the constellation into orbit without cost overruns.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
