The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) has called upon Indian start-ups and private companies to submit proposals for building and managing a space-based Earth Observation (EO) system.

Public-Private Partnership For Advanced EO System

This ambitious project, to be conducted under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, involves the design, construction, and launch of a constellation of satellites equipped with advanced imaging technologies. These satellites aim to create a self-reliant, robust, and sustainable Earth observation system that addresses the increasing demand for EO data.

IN-SPACe chairman Pawan Goenka stated, “This initiative by IN-SPACe and ISRO is towards creating a self-reliant, robust, and sustainable Earth Observation System catering to the growing demand for EO data. It is envisaged that the upstream infrastructure of the satellite constellation with advanced imaging technology will create significant downstream commercial potential, resulting in more competitive products.”

Registration And Application Process

Interested applicants can register for the project with IN-SPACe by August 1. A pre-expression of interest (pre-EoI) conference will be held on August 8 for interested parties, with final applications due by September 10. Applicants will be evaluated on multiple parameters, including funding, valuation, and revenue.

To qualify, applicants must have raised at least ₹85 crore in funding, while the threshold for Indian start-ups is set at ₹42.5 crore. Alternatively, entities must be valued at ₹850 crore or have an average annual revenue of ₹200 crore over a three-year period.

Project Scope And Requirements

The EoI invites proposals to design and build a constellation of satellites equipped with achromatic, multispectral, hyperspectral, and microwave imaging technologies. The project also includes launching these satellites using Indian Satellite Launch Vehicles, monitoring and controlling spacecraft health, and managing payload data download through ground stations or ground stations as a service (GSaaS) providers.

Additionally, the EoI outlines projects for processing payload data from the satellite constellation and generating analysis-ready data (ARD) for various applications.

The proposed Earth observation satellite system aims to reduce dependency on foreign EO data and boost India’s space economy. These satellites are typically used by government bodies for weather monitoring, land surveys, and other purposes.

Opportunities And Market Potential

Selected applicants will have the opportunity to monetize space data and related services, thereby increasing their presence in the global geospatial market and positioning India as a major global data provider. Start-ups like GalaxEye and Pixxel already operate in this domain, offering multi-sensor and hyperspectral imaging satellites, respectively.

Broader Push For Spacetech Sector

This development comes a month after reports indicated that the Centre planned to offer funding and support to launch 12 Earth observation satellites under a public-private partnership model. It also aligns with the Centre’s broader push for the spacetech sector. Recently, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced an ₹1,000 crore venture capital (VC) fund for homegrown spacetech start-ups in her Budget speech.

Agencies