Indian space startups Dhruva Space, Digantara to test their technologies in ISRO mission

India's budding space startups Dhruva Space and Digantara will launch their payloads aboard the Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) rocket which will be launched on June 30 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. IN-SPACe, the Indian space regulatory body under the Department of Space, announced the payload authorisation allowing the two companies to test their respective technologies.

ISRO is launching the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket under the C-53 mission which is dedicated to deploying three satellites from Singapore. Notably, this marks the first authorisations given by IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center).

In an official statement, Dhruva Space revealed that its payload includes the DSOD 1U deployer, a satellite deployment system whose compatibility will be tested with the PSLV rocket. Both the payloads will be launched inside PSLV's Orbital Experimental Module (POEM). Dhruva Space says that interfacing a spacecraft with its launch vehicle is crucial for the deployment of satellites. And since its indigenously developed satellite deployment systems are compatible with ISRO's PSLV, this mission would test and qualify the system. 

“The PSLV C53 mission is a key milestone in the journey of Dhruva Space. The mission will demonstrate the in-house developed CubeSat Deployers ahead of the launch of our Satellite Missions, Thybolt-1 and Thybolt-2, onboard the PSLV C54 Mission", company CEO, Sanjay Nekkanti said. "This will also enable Dhruva Space to support our international clients with CubeSat Deployers, Integration and Launch Services". Founded in 2012, the company's website says it "offers satellite/s coupled with Earth station/s and launch services as an integrated solution or individually as technology solutions to power space-based applications on Earth and beyond".

The second company authorised to launch a payload is Digantara which is based in Bengaluru and aims to develop a sustainable space environment by developing the biggest catalogue of man-made space objects. According to the company, it can detect over 18 times more space objects with high accuracy and provide real-time space weather data. 

ISRO's PSLV C-53 mission

The main payload of the mission includes the DS-EO satellite, the NeuSAR satellite, and the Scoob-1 satellite, all from Singapore. According to ISRO, the 365 kg DS-EO, which will be deployed at an altitude of 570 km, carries an Electro-Optic, multi-spectral payload that will provide full-colour images for land classification, and serve "Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief needs."

The 155 kg NeuSAR, is Singapore's first small commercial satellite carrying a SAR (synthetic aperture radar) payload and is capable of providing images day and night and under all weather conditions. The Scoob-1 satellite, on the other hand, weighs just 2.8 kg and is the first satellite in the Student Satellite Series (S3-I), which was a student training program from the Satellite Research Centre (SaRC) at Singapore's NTU School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering.