Overview
- IN-SPACe signed contracts on February 11 with Dhruva Space, Astrome Technologies and Azista Industries under its Satellite Bus as a Service initiative, awarding Rs 5 crore each to develop modular small-satellite buses for hosted payloads.
- The regulator will release milestone-linked grants and provide access to ISRO and Department of Space infrastructure, with later phases enabling operational hosted-payload missions on these platforms.
- The Department of Space told Parliament that India now has more than 400 registered space start-ups and cumulative investment above $500 million, with about $150 million raised in 2025 and a top-10 order book of roughly $150 million.
- Officials reported growing private capability: two sub-orbital launch demonstrations in November 2022 and May 2024, 18 satellites launched by six non-government entities, and 25 payloads flown or scheduled on the PSLV Orbital Experimental Module.
- Active public–private programs include an Earth-observation constellation led by a Pixxel-formed SPV and technology transfer of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle to HAL, while NSIL advances industry participation from PSLV production to international launch services.