New Delhi, June 11 (IANS) The government agency Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) selected three Indian space startups — Astrobase Space Technologies, SatSure Analytics India and TM2SPACE Technologies — as the first set of Indian Non-Governmental Entities (NGEs) for funding under its Technology Adoption Fund (TAF) Scheme.

The three startups will receive financial support to develop transformative space technologies to strengthen India’s indigenous capabilities and enhance its global competitiveness in the space sector, a statement said.

Bengaluru-based space startup Astrobase Space Technologies Pvt. Ltd. will develop a high-thrust Closed-Cycle Liquid Rocket Engine (800 kN) for space launch vehicles.

The 800 kN-class reusable LOX-LNG rocket engine with high efficiency and modular architecture for medium-to-heavy lift launch vehicles, will serve as a commercial propulsion solution for next-generation launch systems and orbital stages.

Bengaluru-based space analytics company SatSure Analytics India Pvt. Ltd. will develop Dhaarini, a Large Earth Observation Model (LOM) designed to serve as India’s foundational AI platform for remote sensing applications.

Trained on diverse satellite and aerial datasets, the model will generate actionable insights across agriculture, infrastructure, and disaster management, enabling data-driven decision-making at a national scale.

Hyderabad-based TM2SPACE Technologies Pvt. Ltd. will develop an indigenous AI-powered star tracker system for satellites, enabling the pointing accuracy required for high-resolution imaging and communication missions.

The project will develop StarSense Lite for CubeSats and StarSense Pro for satellites above 50 kg, delivering high-precision attitude determination through advanced optics, electronics, and onboard algorithms.

The startups were selected after a rigorous multi-stage evaluation process by expert committee with members from ISRO, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), the Department of Science and Technology (DST), industry, academic institutions and IN-SPACe.

Three startups were selected from several proposals based on close alignment with the objectives and criteria of Technology Adoption Fund (TAF), the statement noted.

It encouraged Indian companies to continue submitting proposals that meet the objectives of the TAF scheme.

Dr Pawan Goenka, Chairman, IN-SPACe, said the agency’s fund will be used to bridge the critical gap between early-stage development and commercial success.

“These projects are not just innovative concepts; they are practical, market-ready solutions that will increase our footprint in the global space economy,” Goenka said.

IN-SPACe will provide continued technical guidance, monitoring, and milestone-linked disbursement of funds to ensure successful implementation of the selected projects, the statement noted.

—IANS

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