Indian space: Private players fuel satellite refueling & earth observation boom

India’s space sector is stepping boldly into a new era, with private players taking center stage. Two recent developments has the ecosystem is buzzing. Backed by ISRO and IN-SPACe, these milestones signal a powerful shift toward innovation, sustainability, and self-reliance in the global space economy.

ISRO Chairman Dr. V. Narayanan inaugurated space tech startup OrbitAID’s new 6,500 sq ft R&D facility in Bengaluru with an investment of over US$ 2 M. Through this facility, OrbitAID will extend lifetime refueling services for current and upcoming satellites. This would be India’s largest and one of the world’s biggest for Rendezvous Proximity Operations & Docking (RPOD) infrastructure. The facility would consist of a high end control room for operating the RPOD facility, class 10000 cleanroom, and fuel transfer facilities for assembling and integrating its satellites.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. V. Narayanan, Chairman, ISRO congratulated the OrbitAID team ...