New Delhi: The nationwide Department of Science and Technology introduced on 13 March that it has backed a Chennai-based personal space startup, OrbitAID Aerospace, which has developed docking and refuelling techniques for in orbit satellites.
OrbitAID has developed the know-how for in-space life extension of satellites, designed to supply a customary interface and docking and refuelling port (SIDRP). This will allow autonomous docking and propellant switch between satellites in orbit.
It features a “satellite fill-and-drain” valve with a twin docking interface and is engineered to function reliably each on floor and in microgravity environments.
“Technologies such as in-orbit servicing and satellite life-extension systems represent the next frontier of commercial space activities,” Rajesh Kumar Pathak, secretary of the division’s Technology Development Board, mentioned in a statement.
Pathak mentioned that the TDB’s monetary help to the startup shows “the government’s commitment to supporting Indian startups developing advanced space technologies that strengthen India’s global competitiveness and technological self-reliance.”
The know-how
Earlier this yr, on 12 January, OrbitAID’s AayulSAT was scheduled to fly on board the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle’s C-62 mission, which finally failed to position the satellites in orbit.
AayulSAT’s mission was to reveal inner gas switch, together with energy and information switch, utilizing the corporate’s new SIDRP know-how.
Weighing round 25 kg, OrbitSupport’s “space fuel station” can function in a Sun-synchronous orbit — about 600-800 km above Earth — serving as a crucial take a look at mattress for related applied sciences sooner or later.
“Such orbital propellant depots are a transformative concept, aiming to store fuel in space to refuel satellites and spacecraft. This capability can dramatically extend mission durations, reduce space debris, and promote more sustainable space operations,” learn an OrbitSupport assertion launched in January.
The idea of refuelling satellites in space is being examined worldwide. In the United States, corporations comparable to Orbit Fab are additionally experimenting with related applied sciences.
“OrbitAID’s mission is therefore strategically significant, positioning India at the forefront of this emerging global infrastructure. By proving capabilities in on-orbit servicing, AayulSAT aims to reduce the need for replacement launches and strengthen India’s position in the new space economy,” OrbitAID mentioned.
(Edited by Insha Jalil Waziri)