Bengaluru-based GalaxEye Space Solutions has secured ₹63.84 crore (approximately US$6.67 million) in financial support from the Technology Development Board under the Research Development and Innovation Fund. The agreement is intended to advance the company’s indigenous OptoSAR satellite technology toward operational deployment. The broader project carries an approved cost of ₹247.69 crore and focuses on moving a multisensor Earth observation satellite from Technology Readiness Level 6 to Level 9.
Funding Agreement and Implementation
The Technology Development Board, operating under the Department of Science and Technology, signed the agreement with GalaxEye Space Solutions Private Limited. The financial assistance will be delivered through Optionally Convertible Debentures to support engineering, testing, validation and deployment activities. This mechanism reflects the government’s emphasis on accelerating private sector research and development in strategic and emerging technologies.
How OptoSAR Combines Complementary Sensors
GalaxEye is developing OptoSAR, a multisensor architecture that integrates Synthetic Aperture Radar with electro-optical imaging. Optical imaging delivers detailed visual information, but its performance can be affected by cloud cover and low light. Synthetic Aperture Radar operates in daylight or darkness and can image through cloud cover, allowing the combined system to offer more consistent Earth observation.
Technical Objectives and System Capabilities
The proposed satellite is designed to provide high-resolution imaging below 0.5 metre, supporting detailed observation from space. GalaxEye aims to fuse data from radar and optical sensors to generate a richer and more continuous picture of Earth. This capability is intended to address gaps caused by darkness or cloud cover that often limit conventional optical-only platforms.
Advancing From TRL 6 to TRL 9
The project has already reached Technology Readiness Level 6, indicating demonstration in a relevant environment. The next phase involves system integration, qualification, testing and performance validation to reach Level 9, where the technology is proven in its final operational configuration. TDB funding is meant to support this transition from an advanced technology demonstration to an operational space system.
Strategic and Commercial Applications
High-resolution multisensor imagery can serve diverse civilian and strategic needs, including border monitoring, disaster response, infrastructure planning, agriculture and maritime surveillance. SAR data remains useful during poor visibility, while optical data helps with interpretation and classification. Together, the two datasets provide complementary information for applications requiring detailed and consistent observation.
Government Push and Indigenous Capability
India’s private space industry is expanding into satellite manufacturing, advanced sensors and space-based data services. The OptoSAR programme is designed to build an indigenous multisensor Earth observation capability combining radar and optical data in a single satellite architecture. Such systems can offer Indian users more control over satellite tasking, data access and system configuration while building domestic expertise.
Stakeholder Perspectives
TDB Secretary Rajesh Kumar Pathak noted that India’s space ecosystem is entering a phase where domestic capability to develop and deploy sophisticated technologies will be increasingly important. He said the RDI Fund supports technology-intensive efforts between advanced development and deployment. Promoters of GalaxEye stated that the partnership will help accelerate validation of OptoSAR and advance it toward Level 9 and subsequent deployment.
The TDB support marks a significant development phase for GalaxEye as it works to bring an indigenous multisensor Earth observation satellite to operational readiness. By combining radar and optical imaging, the company aims to deliver high-resolution data across a wider range of weather and lighting conditions. The initiative strengthens India’s private space sector and supports greater domestic control over advanced Earth observation capabilities.