Bengaluru: In a historic milestone for India’s space industry, Bangalore-based space start-up Pixxel has successfully launched the country’s first private Earth imaging satellite constellation, named ‘Firefly.’ The constellation marks a significant leap for India’s burgeoning private space sector and positions Pixxel as a trailblazer in satellite-based precision imaging.
Founded in 2019 by Kshitij Khandelwal and Awais Ahmed, who were students at Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, Pixxel has rapidly grown into one of India’s most promising satellite technology companies. With offices in both India and the United States, the company has already raised $95 million.
The ‘Firefly’ constellation was launched into a 550-kilometre low Earth orbit aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Three of the satellites were deployed in a single mission, with three more slated for launch later this year.
Until now, all high-precision Earth imaging satellites in India have been operated by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), which currently has around 52 satellites in orbit.
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