IN-SPACe selects three space startups for funding under Technology Adoption Fund
New Delhi, June 11
The government agency Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre on Thursday selected three Indian space startups -- Astrobase Space Technologies, SatSure Analytics India and TM2SPACE Technologies -- as the first set of Indian Non-Governmental Entities for funding under its Technology Adoption Fund Scheme.
The three startups will receive financial support to develop transformative space technologies to strengthen India's indigenous capabilities and enhance its global competitiveness in the space sector, a statement said.
Bengaluru-based space startup Astrobase Space Technologies Pvt. Ltd. will develop a high-thrust Closed-Cycle Liquid Rocket Engine (800 kN) for space launch vehicles.
The 800 kN-class reusable LOX-LNG rocket engine with high efficiency and modular architecture for medium-to-heavy lift launch vehicles, will serve as a commercial propulsion solution for next-generation launch systems and orbital stages.
Bengaluru-based space analytics company SatSure Analytics India Pvt. Ltd. will develop Dhaarini, a Large Earth Observation Model (LOM) designed to serve as India's foundational AI platform for remote sensing applications.
Trained on diverse satellite and aerial datasets, the model will generate actionable insights across agriculture, infrastructure, and disaster management, enabling data-driven decision-making at a national scale.
Hyderabad-based TM2SPACE Technologies Pvt. Ltd. will develop an indigenous AI-powered star tracker system for satellites, enabling the pointing accuracy required for high-resolution imaging and communication missions.
The project will develop StarSense Lite for CubeSats and StarSense Pro for satellites above 50 kg, delivering high-precision attitude determination through advanced optics, electronics, and onboard algorithms.
The startups were selected after a rigorous multi-stage evaluation process by expert committee with members from ISRO, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), the Department of Science and Technology (DST), industry, academic institutions and IN-SPACe.
Three startups were selected from several proposals based on close alignment with the objectives and criteria of Technology Adoption Fund (TAF), the statement noted.
It encouraged Indian companies to continue submitting proposals that meet the objectives of the TAF scheme.
Dr Pawan Goenka, Chairman, IN-SPACe, said the agency's fund will be used to bridge the critical gap between early-stage development and commercial success.
"These projects are not just innovative concepts; they are practical, market-ready solutions that will increase our footprint in the global space economy," Goenka said.
IN-SPACe will provide continued technical guidance, monitoring, and milestone-linked disbursement of funds to ensure successful implementation of the selected projects, the statement noted.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Impressive progress from ISRO and IN-SPACe. The AI-powered star tracker from TM2SPACE catches my attention - attitude determination is crucial for high-resolution imaging missions. I've worked on similar systems in the US, and it's exciting to see this capability developing in India too. The competition will make the whole global space industry stronger.
While this is a step in the right direction, I hope the selection process was truly transparent and not just favoring already established players. Also, we need to ensure these startups actually deliver on their promises. There are so many grant schemes that end up wasting taxpayer money on flashy proposals with no real outcomes. Let's hope TAF has proper accountability mechanisms. Just a healthy dose of Indian skepticism, ji! 😅
As someone who worked at ISRO earlier, this is a great move. The LOX-LNG engine technology will help us reduce reliance on foreign suppliers. And SatSure's Dhaarini - an Indian foundation AI model for remote sensing! We desperately need this for agriculture. Our farmers are still using outdated methods for crop monitoring while other countries are doing it with AI. This could be a game-changer for rural India.
Great to see private players getting government support in India's space sector. The announcement mentions "rigorous multi-stage evaluation" which is reassuring. I hope these technologies are shared with international partners too - space exploration is ultimately a global effort. The AI star tracker could be useful for many CubeSat missions worldwide. Looking forward to seeing their progress!
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.