Consortium to develop next-gen space technologies

New Delhi: Indian Institute of Technology-Madras’s IITM Pravartak Technologies Foundation is all set to collaborate with five start-ups to develop technologies for ecosystem development and commercialization of space and deep space.

Named ‘Indian Space Technologies and Applications Design Bureau’ (I-STAC.DB), the consortium will develop next-generation applications. It will focus on building an end-to-end Atmanirbhar ecosystem for space technologies from on-demand access to data and space including rapid launch capabilities, satellite design and assembly, sensors, future generation communication such as 6G, security of satellites, ground stations, data processing, assimilation for communication and geospatial applications.

I-STAC.DB is inviting companies in space and allied domains to join this effort. The founding members of I-STAC.DB include Delhi-based Dron Vayu Pvt Ltd, and Chennai-based Agnikul Cosmos Pvt Ltd, GalaxEye Space Solutions Pvt Ltd, Mindgrove Technologies Pvt Ltd, and Resileo Labs LLP.

The key outcomes and impact envisaged from I-STAC.DB in the medium and long terms include the design of launch vehicles and spacecraft for additive manufacturing; development of mobile launch platforms on land, air, and sea; building capacity for trusted, reliable, and quickly repeatable satellite launch; creation of precision navigation, and ground station infrastructure.

The other expected outcomes include development of hyperspectral vision, photogrammetry, and synthetic aperture radar sensors, sensor fusion; on-board processing based on edge computing and deep learning in space; earth observation remote sensing, 5G/6G/7G communication, inter-satellite communication within constellations; satellite applications such as data storage and management; space debris management; satellite cyber-physical security, anti-satellite countermeasures; and capability building and space-data sciences.

The Department of Science and Technology, under its National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems, funded the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras to host a Technology Innovation Hub (TIH) for sensor, networking, actuators, and control systems (SNACS) area.  IIT Madras established ‍IITM Pravartak Technologies Foundation recently to host this TIH.

Prof. Satya Chakravarthy, Head, I-STAC.DB, and Faculty, Department of Aerospace Engineering, IIT Madras, said, “In today’s world, collaboration is the mantra. It is not possible for any single company to do all that is required for the end customer of space applications. This consortium thus naturally gravitates all such key stakeholders.”

Dr. M. J. Shankar Raman, Chief Executive Officer, IIT Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation, said, “IIT-M Pravartak is extremely thrilled to have dynamic and young entrepreneurs to synergize their thoughts and efforts towards India based space ecosystem through this platform. It is the expression of their deep commitment and conviction that made this happen.”

Prof. V. Kamakoti, Faculty In-Charge, IIT Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation, and Member, National Security Advisory Board, Government of India, said, “The time has come to pool the talent available in our country to synergise and deliver a complete end to end ecosystem for space and allied technologies. Indian Space Technocrats are established space technology Gurus, and this consortium is a Guru Kul, a premium knowledge centre for India and the world to tap.”

Keywords: Indian Institute of Technology, IIT-M, Pravartak Technologies Foundation,  start-up, ecosystem,  space, deep space, next-generation, application, Atmanirbhar, data,  satellite,  design, sensor, communication,  ground station, geospatial, launch vehicle, spacecraft, navigation, photogrammetry, radar, constellations, cyber-physical security