Dhruva Space to launch first commercial mission with Aussie partners – The Times of India
BENGALURU: Spacetech startup Dhruva Space is set to launch its first commercial mission, LEAP-1, in the third quarter of 2025 aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9. The mission, a landmark for the 2012-founded Hyderabad-based company, will host advanced AI and hyperspectral imaging payloads from Australian firms Akula Tech and Esper Satellites on Dhruva’s indigenously developed P-30 satellite platform.The mission follows Dhruva’s successful in-orbit qualification of its P-30 bus on Isro’s PSLV-C58 in January 2024 and marks its transition from technology demonstration to commercial operations. LEAP-1 will integrate Dhruva’s hosted payload services with its Ground Station-as-a-Service (GSaaS) and Integrated Space Operations & Command Suite (ISOCS) for real-time mission management and data downlinking.“This mission signifies a new era in AI-powered satellite technology to support defence, emergency response, climate monitoring and other strategic objectives,” said Preetham Akula, CEO of Melbourne-based Akula Tech. The company’s Nexus-01 payload will test an onboard AI module capable of real-time data processing and re-training, potentially reducing decision-making timelines for critical missions.Esper Satellites, meanwhile, will deploy its hyperspectral imager OTR-2, aimed at delivering detailed, spectrally-rich Earth observation data for sectors including agriculture, mining and environmental monitoring. “Launching OTR-2 on Dhruva’s platform proves that advanced hyperspectral technology can be both accessible and cost-effective,” said Shoaib Iqbal, co-founder and CEO of Esper Satellites.Dhruva Space co-founder and CEO Sanjay Nekkanti said the collaboration reflects the company’s global ambitions. “Following our successful qualification of the P-30 platform, we are excited to take this capability to the international market. Partnering with Akula and Esper creates remarkable opportunities for Indo-Australian space cooperation while driving down costs and fostering a global commercial space economy,” he said.The mission also underscores Dhruva’s growing role in India’s private space ecosystem, with support from ISRO and IN-SPACe. Nekkanti credited a 2022 visit by Australian Space Agency chief Enrico Palermo to Dhruva’s Hyderabad office for sparking the collaboration.LEAP-1 represents the first step in Dhruva Space’s series of hosted payload missions, which the company says has already drawn interest from private players in India and Europe. “This launch is not just about deploying technology. It is about cementing India’s position as a fast-growing space power,” Nekkanti added.For Akula Tech, the mission will also provide flight heritage to five of its AI software products, while Esper Satellites sees it as a stepping stone toward building a hyperspectral constellation. Dhruva Space, meanwhile, aims to scale its payload-hosting operations, positioning itself as a key enabler of cost-efficient, globally integrated space missions.
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