ETSA 2026: Middle East tensions hit space supply chains, says Pixxel CTO Kshitij Khandelwal

Middle East tensions are making it difficult for space companies to source key components, increasing supply chain challenges for the sector, Kshitij Khandelwal, cofounder and chief technology officer (CTO) of spacetech startup Pixxel, said at the ET Startups Awards 2026 on Friday.

Speaking at a panel discussion at the Bengaluru event, Khandelwal said the availability of components such as detectors had become a challenge, affecting the supply of equipment used in space and airborne sensing systems.

“It has definitely become difficult, primarily because of the tensions of the Middle East. But every time something happened, it had an impact on the aerospace supply chain because these are not priority parts usually, for electronics, for example, during COVID, they had slowed down everything and then the demand for automobile components went up, but space components were lagging behind. Today, with the situation in the Middle East, there are issues in getting detectors because they go for the airborne sensors and all of that. So the cost of those components also goes up,” Khandelwal said.


Why Pixxel is expanding its capabilities

Khandelwal said the company’s strategy is also driven by growing geopolitical demand for sovereign intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.

“So at a geopolitical level, if you look at it, the need for sovereign ISR capabilities is growing, the necessity for a suit of different payloads working in tandem as a planetary infrastructure is what most people are looking for. And the customer base for Pixxel also has evolved over time from Earth observation, remote sensing data, consumers, to people who want their own satellites, countries who want their own satellites. And at that point, we have to be prepared to offer an entire aspect.” he said.