Indian space start-ups Pixxel and Digantara have launched their satellites aboard a SpaceX rocket, marking a transformative milestone for India’s private space sector. These satellites aim to enhance Earth observation and track space objects, addressing critical needs in agriculture, defense, and space sustainability.

Pixxel, the first private Indian company to deploy a satellite constellation, uses advanced hyperspectral imaging technology capable of observing Earth in over 150 bands. This cutting-edge capability supports diverse applications such as monitoring vegetation health, water quality, and atmospheric conditions. Its Firefly satellites offer six times sharper resolution than standard systems, unveiling previously hidden patterns critical for sectors ranging from climate action to defense. Pixxel plans to expand its constellation with three more Fireflies in the next two months and an additional 18 in the future.

Meanwhile, Digantara launched SCOT (Space Camera for Object Tracking), the world’s first commercial satellite designed for tracking space debris and ensuring safer space operations. SCOT can detect objects as small as 5 cm in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), offering persistent monitoring free from traditional sensor limitations like weather and geographic constraints. This innovation addresses growing concerns over space congestion and debris, which pose threats to spacecraft and satellites.

Lt Gen A.K. Bhatt, Director General of the Indian Space Association, highlighted the transformative potential of Pixxel’s hyperspectral imaging for defense and other critical sectors, while also emphasizing the importance of Digantara’s SCOT in fostering sustainable space operations.

With over 60 clients, including global organizations like the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office and companies such as Rio Tinto and BP, Pixxel’s hyperspectral data is already proving invaluable. Together, these developments by Pixxel and Digantara signify India’s rising prominence in the global space-tech landscape, paving the way for advanced Earth observation and safer space environments.

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