Ahmedabad spacetech firm joins consortium for indigenous satellites
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Ahmedabad: India's first fully indigenous commercial earth observation (EO) satellite constellation is taking shape, and Ahmedabad is playing a starring role. PierSight Space, a spacetech firm from the city, has joined a four-member private consortium selected by Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), under the department of space, to build and operate the network.
The Rs 1,200 crore project, under a pioneering public-private partnership (EO-PPP) model, will deploy 12 satellites equipped with synthetic aperture radar (SAR) for round-the-clock imaging in all weather.
The consortium is led by PixxelSpace India and also includes Satsure Analytics India and Dhruva Space. Officials of IN-SPACe, headquartered in Ahmedabad, said that for the first time in India's space history, a private grouping will fund, design, build, and operate such a system, with the constellation expected to be launched over the next five years.
The resulting EO data will serve critical sectors including climate change monitoring, disaster management, agriculture, infrastructure, marine surveillance, national security, and urban planning, said experts.
Gaurav Seth, co-founder and CEO of PierSight, said their primary task will be to develop SAR technology, which allows Earth observation round the clock, in all weather conditions. "This programme ensures that India's critical sectors will no longer have to wait for foreign data or compromise on timelines.
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Our constellation will put sovereign EO capabilities into the hands of Indian decision-makers, ensuring security, speed, and self-sufficiency," he said.
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Vinit Bansal, PierSight's co-founder and CTO, added that the mission goes beyond capturing images. "The real game-changer will be the context built over time, enabling insights that can drive both public and private sector decisions."
Experts point to real-world applications such as mapping flood zones and detecting landslides after a cloudburst, like the recent one in Uttarakhand, or monitoring crops during the monsoon when cloud cover hampers optical satellites. SAR data can also support industries such as mining, infrastructure, and logistics, giving both govt and business stakeholders more accurate and timely intelligence.
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