Noida, Sep 24 (APAC Media): The Technology Development Board (TDB), under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), on Thursday signed an agreement with Bengaluru-based GalaxEye Space Solutions Private Limited for ₹63.84 crore in financial support to develop next-generation multisensor satellite technology.
The support has been sanctioned under the Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund and will be provided through Optionally Convertible Debentures (OCD).
The project, which has an approved total cost of ₹247.69 crore, aims to develop a multisensor satellite capable of high-resolution imaging of less than 0.5 metre using indigenous OptoSAR technology.
The technology combines Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Electro-Optical (EO) imaging to provide complementary information for Earth observation. The project seeks to take the technology from Technology Readiness Level (TRL)-6 to TRL-9, covering further development, engineering, testing and validation before deployment.
Optical imaging can deliver detailed visual information but can be affected by cloud cover and the availability of daylight. SAR, in contrast, can operate during both day and night and is capable of imaging through cloud cover.
By combining the two sensing technologies and fusing their data, the proposed system is intended to provide a more continuous and detailed picture of the Earth’s surface across varying weather and lighting conditions.
According to the project details, the satellite is designed to provide sub-0.5 metre resolution imaging and could support applications such as wide-area and long-range surveillance, human and vehicle detection, and target classification.
TDB Secretary Rajesh Kumar Pathak said the agreement comes at a time when India’s space ecosystem is increasingly focused on developing and deploying sophisticated technologies domestically.
“India’s space ecosystem is entering a phase where the ability to develop and deploy sophisticated technologies within the country will be increasingly important,” Pathak said.
He said the RDI Fund provides a mechanism to support technology-intensive projects through the stages between advanced development and deployment.
“The agreement with GalaxEye reflects TDB’s focus on enabling indigenous capabilities in emerging space technologies and supporting their journey towards commercialisation,” he added.
GalaxEye promoters said the funding would help accelerate the development and validation of its OptoSAR technology.
“By combining SAR and optical sensing, we are working towards an Earth-observation capability that can provide high-resolution information across a wider range of weather and lighting conditions,” they said.
The promoters added that the partnership with TDB would be important in taking the technology towards TRL-9 and its subsequent deployment.
The project is part of the government’s broader effort to encourage private-sector research, development and innovation in strategic and emerging technologies.
–ENDS–
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