Digantara's commercial space-based space weather system reaches orbit onboard ISRO's PSLV-C53

Digantara, a spacetech startup, building solution for space operations said "world's first commercial space-based space weather system", 'ROBI (ROBust Integrating proton fluence meter)', designed by it was launched onboard ISRO's PSLV-C53 Mission on on Thursday. With the launch of the world's smallest digital space weather sensor for monitoring space weather it has taken a giant leap towards building their space infrastructure for providing a one-stop comprehensive space situational awareness solution, the company said.

This will enable Digantara to include proprietary near real time space weather information to its ground-breaking platform, Space - Mission Assurance Platform aka Space - MAP, it said in a release.

"Just as terrestrial navigation services are essential for the ground logistic sector, serving as an infrastructure layer for companies such as Uber, we can leverage Space - MAPs capabilities towards providing an infrastructure layer for effective space operations'' Anirudh Sharma, CEO of Digantara said.


Noting that space weather is a complex phenomenon that arises from high energy particles, plasma, and electromagnetic waves originating from the sun or the cosmos interacting with the earth's magnetic field, Digantara said, a major space weather event can have significant repercussions on both space and terrestrial systems.

Such an event can disrupt power grids, impact airline travel and disrupt High Frequency communication systems, Position, Navigation and Timing (GPS) systems leading to interruptions in communication and navigation capabilities here on Earth, it said, according to estimates, a significant space weather event can result in damages of up to USD 3.4 trillion.