Dhruva Space, German startup Berlin Space Technologies ink MoU on satellites

BENGALURU: Small satellite developer Dhruva Space and German start-up Berlin Space Technologies have signed a memorandum of understanding to set up India’s first commercial small satellites manufacturing facility.“We’re not just building a facility, but an ecosystem for the private space sector,” said Abhishek Raju, director at the Bengaluru-based space start-up. Dhruva is in the process of developing a 12-kg frugal satellite for Amsat India, a member of the global grouping of amateur radio operators.

The company plans to launch the satellite in the first quarter of 2016.The company is hoping to crack the $1-billion private space market and speed up the process of building satellites through an assembly line approach to offer several applications such as defence, vehicle-tracking, disaster management and more.

So far, only telecommunication satellites have been taken under the wing of private companies like Bengaluru’s Aniara Space. Other applications such as imaging, disaster management and defence are done by satellite missions of ISRO.“With skilled human resources in spacecraft manufacturing and design, and arranging the required testing facilities, such a facility is a good step towards commercialising the space sector,” said Sridhara Murthi, former managing director, Antrix Corporation, commercial wing of Isro.