IN-SPACe selects 3 startups for ISRO's satellite bus program
IN-SPACe just selected three homegrown startups—Astrome Technologies, Azista Industries, and Dhruva Space—to design small satellite bus platforms.
Each will get ₹5 crore in milestone-linked grants under the new Satellite Bus as a Service (SBaaS) program.
SBaaS initiative and its significance
The SBaaS initiative, launched in 2025, lets these startups use ISRO's facilities and milestone grants to build modular satellite busses that can host multiple payloads.
The initiative aims to provide cost-effective, standardized platforms to reduce entry barriers for payload developers and to cater to domestic and global market requirements.
IN-SPACe's take on the development
IN-SPACe Chairman Pawan Goenka called this an important step toward building a robust, sustainable, and globally competitive small satellite manufacturing ecosystem in India.
Director Rajeev Jyoti added that standardized platforms will help more innovators join the game by lowering barriers for new payload developers.