IN-SPACe Offers Rs 67 Crore To Four More Startups To Develop Indigenous Space Technology

The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre, or IN-SPACe, has selected four more space startups for funding offers at a total of Rs 67.15 crore to develop indigenous space technologies.

This takes the total number of companies under the Technology Adoption Fund (TAF) to seven. The initiative is part of India’s growing push to support space startups and increase their participation in the expanding global space economy.

The four startups include Maharashtra-based Manastu Space, Inspecity Space Laboratories, MumbaiSemi and Bengaluru-based VyomIC. These will focus on developing indigenous technologies across satellite propulsion, in-orbit servicing, precision timing systems for space as well as ground applications and NavIC-enabled

GNSS System on Chip (SoC).

Mumbai-based Manastu Space has been offered Rs 22.08 crore to develop an iodine-based hall effect thruster for small satellites, which eliminates the need for high-pressure tanks, and offers a cost-efficient alternative to conventional systems. Very few companies globally have either developed or are in the process of developing it.

Inspecity Space Laboratories has been offered Rs 21.18 crore to develop a refuellable six-degree-of-freedom propulsion system for microsatellites to support more flexible satellite manoeuvring and enable future in-space servicing applications.

VyomIC has been offered Rs 12.55 crore to develop highly stable and secure clocks for space applications. MumbaiSemi has been offered Rs 11.34 crore to develop an indigenous, multi-channel NavIC and GPS receiver system-on-chip (SoC) integrating RF and digital components to strengthen domestic capabilities in satellite navigation receiver technology.

“The two spacecraft propulsion technologies are being developed for the first time in India and they have a high commercial potential. The development of high stable and precision clock and time generation and the development of indigenous SoC for GNSS including NavIC is going to significantly reduce the dependence of foreign chipsets. These technologies can help India build a more complete domestic space ecosystem, expand industry participation and create export opportunities for Indian companies,” said IN-SPACe chairman Dr Pawan Goenka.

The latest announcement builds on IN-SPACe’s first selection under TAF in June, when Astrobase Space Technologies, SatSure Analytics India and TM2SPACE Technologies were selected for funding to develop technologies spanning launch vehicle propulsion, Earth observation analytics and satellite navigation systems. The selected projects will be implemented against defined milestones, with funding and progress monitored in accordance with the scheme’s requirements.