Overview
- IN-SPACe and a Pixxel-led group of Indian startups signed an MoU to design, build, own, and operate a 12-satellite Earth‑observation network under a public‑private partnership.
- The consortium—Pixxel, Dhruva Space, PierSight, and SatSure—plans to invest over Rs 1,200 crore in five years and provide government-coordinated access to data with global commercial sales.
- The planned constellation will field very high‑resolution optical, multispectral, SAR, and hyperspectral sensors to support uses from agriculture and disaster response to infrastructure and maritime monitoring.
- Pixxel says the first four satellites are targeted for orbit by the first quarter of 2027, with additional spacecraft rolling out in phases thereafter.
- Separately, reporting points to a fast‑tracked military programme to deploy 50‑plus night‑capable surveillance satellites by 2029, with early launches as soon as April 2026 and potential overseas ground stations and cross‑satellite data links under consideration.