GalaxEye: Space startup GalaxEye to launch ‘Drishti satellite’ via Elon Musk’s SpaceX

space startup GalaxyEye is set to launch first-of-its-kind multi-sensor Earth observation (EO) satellite ‘Drishiti’ in collaboration with Elon Musk. SpaceXrevealed Pranit Mehta, one of the five co-founders and an alumnus of IIT-Madrasin exclusive interaction with ET. The launch is planned for mid-2025. Incubated at IIT-Madras, the company is headquartered in Bengaluru.

“It will be a locally developed, high resolution, 150kg satellite and we plan to launch a constellation of five satellites, with Drishiti being the first. Next year around this time we will already be in space. Our goal is to position ourselves as a key provider of data at various altitudes,” he said, adding that the launch-ready satellite will be transported to the United States.

“Earlier, we considered ISRO spaceport, but there were some challenges in the schedule. While talks with them are still ongoing, we have finalized SpaceX for this launch, being the first startup to do so,” Mehta said, adding that this It marks a full circle for the team, who were the Asian finalists in the SpaceX Hyperloop competition in 2019.

In early September, the Indian IT giant infosys acquired a minority stake in GalaxEye, worth Rs 17 crore. Talking about the partnership, Mehta highlighted its strategic importance. “The addition of Infosys is crucial for us because once the satellite is in orbit, there will be a huge amount of data to manage,” the IIT-M alumnus explained.

By partnering with Infosys, GalaxEye can leverage the company’s extensive experience and global market reach. “Infosys has a wide range of use cases and rather than reinventing the wheel and going the IT route, we plan to get into data processing and signal management. This collaboration will allow us to develop downstream applications that can serve a variety of applications.” of industries, effectively take advantage of the satellite’s capabilities,” Mehta added.


Another idea he shared is that standalone satellite imagery will not be enough for industries. “Companies often rely on multiple sources of intelligence (whether from partners, the industry itself, or other channels) when making decisions. Collaborating with companies such as infosys “It helps us tap into that broader ecosystem, bringing together diverse insights,” the co-founder said.

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Frugality in India’s DNAThe indigenously built Drishti satellite will operate in space for five years. It will use synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and multispectral instrument (MSI) sensors to capture high-resolution images of the Earth. For the first time in the industry, the company has already applied for a global patent.

Mehta believes it will cost only around 50-60% of what similar satellites previously launched for Mehta: “This cost-effectiveness is not only significant from a financial perspective but also in terms of use cases, as we are integrating two sensors at that price.” . That frugality is ingrained in India’s DNA.”

He added that the work lasted three years and began in the IIT-Madras laboratory with the proof of concept. “This innovative approach demonstrates that the two sensors can coexist and capture data effectively.”

Mehta said the goal has always been to make satellite imagery more accessible, not just treat it as another data source. “We are currently focusing on a wide range of software applications. While we could become a data player, we want industries across various sectors to recognize the inherent value that satellite data can provide,” said the co-founder.

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