AgniKul, NeevCloud to launch India's 1st AI data center in space
AgniKul Cosmos (Chennai) and NeevCloud (Bengaluru) are joining forces to launch India's first private AI data center in space, orbiting 350-500km above Earth.
Test launches are planned for late 2026, with commercial services kicking off in 2027.
They plan a single proof-of-concept pilot mission (one initial satellite) before the end of 2026; the source does not provide a timeline for scaling to a larger number of satellites or specify a 2030 target for 600+ orbital edge data centers.
They'll reuse parts of AgniKul's rockets
Instead of building new platforms, they'll reuse parts of AgniKul's rockets—transforming the extended upper stage into a solar-powered hosting platform for NeevCloud's data center payload, packed with around 500 high-performance AI chips in its first satellite configuration.
Each such payload can handle up to 100,000 users at once or process 10 million AI calls daily, all while using the vacuum of space for cooling and sunlight for energy.
India on the map for affordable space-based AI tech
This shared-hardware approach keeps costs low for high-speed AI tasks like autonomous systems or remote operations—areas where demand is booming.
With global players like SpaceX also moving fast, this homegrown project could put India on the map for affordable space-based AI tech.