- Astrome, Azista Industries & Dhruva Space selected under national AO
- ₹5 crore grant each to build modular small satellite bus platforms
- SBaaS to power hosted payload services for domestic & global markets
- Milestone-linked support, ISRO access and PPP roadmap to scale India’s commercial space ecosystem
NE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY BUREAU
AHMEDABAD, FEB 11
In a decisive push to accelerate India’s private space ecosystem, the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) has announced the results of its Announcement of Opportunity (AO) for the development of indigenous small satellite bus platforms under the Satellite Bus as a Service (SBaaS) initiative.
Launched in April 2025, the AO invited proposals from Indian Non-Governmental Entities (NGEs) to design and develop modular small satellite buses capable of hosting multiple payloads. Out of 15 proposals received by July 2025, three companies have been selected after a rigorous, transparent, multi-stage evaluation process:
- Astrome Technologies Pvt. Ltd., Bengaluru
- Azista Industries Pvt. Ltd., Hyderabad
- Dhruva Space Pvt. Ltd., Hyderabad
Each selected company will receive a ₹5 crore grant to support the development and in-orbit demonstration of a robust, scalable and cost-effective small satellite bus platform.
Building India’s End-to-End Capability
The SBaaS initiative is designed to create standardized, flight-ready satellite bus platforms that can accommodate multiple hosted payloads—reducing cost and complexity for payload developers while expanding India’s footprint in the fast-growing global hosted payload services market.
Commenting on the announcement, Dr. Pawan Goenka, Chairman, IN-SPACe, stated: “The Satellite Bus as a Service initiative marks an important step in building a robust, sustainable, and globally competitive small satellite manufacturing ecosystem in India. By enabling indigenous satellite bus platforms and integrating them with India’s emerging small satellite launch capabilities, we are laying the foundation for India to become a preferred global destination for end-to-end small satellite manufacturing, launch, and hosted payload services.”
IN-SPACe has formally signed contract agreements with the selected firms, marking the commencement of implementation under the scheme.
Lowering Barriers, Expanding Markets
Elaborating on the strategic importance of the initiative, Shri Rajeev Jyoti, Director – Technical Directorate, IN-SPACe, said: “The SBaaS initiative is a key enabler for the development and manufacturing of indigenous small satellite bus platforms in India. By providing standardized and flight-proven satellite bus platforms for hosted payload missions, IN-SPACe aims to reduce entry barriers for payload developers while strengthening domestic manufacturing capabilities and reinforcing India’s position in the rapidly growing global hosted payload services market.”
Under the AO guidelines, IN-SPACe will extend milestone-linked financial support and facilitate access to ISRO/DOS and IN-SPACe infrastructure, testing facilities and technical expertise as required.
From Platform Development to Operational Missions
In subsequent phases, IN-SPACe plans to enable hosted payload missions on these satellite bus platforms, creating a scalable pathway from design and development to operational deployment—anchored in a public–private partnership (PPP) model.
The SBaaS announcement aligns with IN-SPACe’s broader strategy to catalyse private sector capability in satellite platforms and commercial space services. Recently, the agency signed a concession agreement with PixxelSpace India and Allied Orbits Pvt. Ltd. (an SPV formed by a Pixxel-led consortium) for establishing an Earth Observation (EO) constellation under the PPP framework. The initiative aims to strengthen indigenous EO capabilities and foster a commercially viable, industry-led ecosystem.
With SBaaS, India signals its intent to move beyond launch services to become a comprehensive global hub for satellite manufacturing, hosted payload integration and mission deployment—powered by homegrown innovation.
