Bengaluru-based space startup to develop multi-sensor satellite combining SAR and optical imaging
New Delhi: The government has approved financial support of approximately Rs 64 crore for Bengaluru-based space startup GalaxEye Space Solutions to develop an advanced multi-sensor satellite designed to provide high-resolution Earth imagery across different weather and lighting conditions.
GalaxEye has entered into an agreement with the government’s Technology Development Board (TDB) to receive funding under the Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund. The support is intended to help the company advance the development, engineering, testing and validation of its proposed satellite technology.
Officials from the Ministry of Science and Technology said the funding will help take the project through critical stages of advanced development and towards eventual deployment.
Satellite to Combine SAR and Optical Imaging
The proposed satellite will use OptoSAR, a technology that combines two different Earth-observation techniques: Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Electro-Optical (EO) imaging.
EO systems can provide detailed visual imagery but their performance can be affected by cloud cover and the availability of daylight. SAR technology, by contrast, can operate during both day and night and can acquire imagery through cloud cover.
By combining data from the two systems, GalaxEye aims to create a more continuous and detailed view of the Earth’s surface, including under conditions where conventional optical satellites may face limitations.
Sub-0.5 Metre Resolution
The proposed satellite is designed to provide sub-0.5 metre high-resolution imaging.
According to the information provided by the company and government officials, the technology could support applications such as:
- Wide-area surveillance
- Long-range surveillance
- Human and vehicle detection
- Target classification
- Earth observation under different weather conditions
- Imaging in both daylight and low-light conditions
The combination of SAR and EO data is intended to provide complementary information that can improve the overall quality and continuity of Earth observation.
Project Cost Pegged at Rs 247.69 Crore
The GalaxEye project has a total approved cost of Rs 247.69 crore. The approximately Rs 64 crore government support through the TDB is intended to assist the company in taking the technology through further development and validation.
The funding is part of the government’s effort to support indigenous capabilities in emerging technologies and strengthen India’s private-sector space ecosystem.
TDB Highlights Indigenous Space Technology
Rajesh Kumar Pathak, Secretary, Technology Development Board, said the agreement with GalaxEye reflects the TDB’s focus on developing indigenous capabilities in emerging space technologies and supporting their transition towards commercialisation.
The government-backed funding is expected to help GalaxEye move its multi-sensor Earth-observation technology closer to operational deployment.
Strengthening India’s Private Space Ecosystem
The initiative comes as India’s space sector increasingly expands beyond traditional government-led programmes, with private companies developing satellites, launch systems and space-based applications.
For GalaxEye, the proposed multi-sensor satellite represents an effort to integrate radar and optical Earth observation into a single platform. If successfully developed and validated, the technology could provide high-resolution imagery with greater resilience to cloud cover and changing illumination conditions.
The government support is therefore focused not only on developing the satellite itself but also on advancing indigenous technology from the development and testing stage towards deployment and commercialisation.
