A Bengaluru-based space startup has created history by giving India its first private Earth imaging satellite constellation. The constellation – 'Firefly' – was developed by Pixxel.
Pixxel – with offices in India and the United States – was founded in 2019 by Awais Ahmed and Kshitij Khandelwal while they were still students at Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani. They have already raised $95 million, becoming one of India's satellite success stories.
Overnight, three 'Firefly' satellites were launched into a 550 kilometer low Earth orbit using a SpaceX Falcon-9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. Three more satellites will be launched later this year.
While congratulating Pixxel on this milestone, Dr. Somanath, former chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) – under whose leadership new age space startups blossomed – told NDTV, “I hope the impact of this hyperspectral imaging will have a major will have an impact. blessing for the sector”.
So far, all of India's precision Earth imaging satellites are owned and operated by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), which has about 52 different satellites in space. Lately, India's fast-growing private space sector has been giving increasing competition to the government giant.
The space data company said these satellites are designed to deliver critical climate and Earth insights with unparalleled precision. Each satellite sets a new benchmark in hyperspectral imaging. With advanced spectral capabilities, near real-time data collection and diverse applications, the 'Firefly' constellation is poised to revolutionize the way we understand, manage and protect our planet's resources.
Awais Ahmed (left) and Kshitij Khandelwal founded Pixxel while still in college.
Lauding the extraordinary achievement, Lieutenant General Anil Bhat (retired), Director General, Indian Space Association (IspA), New Delhi, said: “Pixxel has found a unique niche by providing the world with high-quality imaging satellites that are a game changer for both earth and defense monitoring applications”. He also pointed out that Pixxel is India's best-funded space startup today, which quickly benefited from the Indian government's opening up of the space sector in 2020.
In a statement, Pixxel said the 'Fireflies', currently the world's highest resolution commercial hyperspectral satellites, provide unprecedented precision in monitoring the planet and set a new benchmark for hyperspectral imaging capabilities. With a five-meter resolution achieved for the first time in a hyperspectral spacecraft, 'Fireflies' are six times sharper than the 30-meter standard of most existing hyperspectral satellites, capturing fine details previously invisible to conventional systems.
“The future of our planet depends on how deeply we understand it today. The successful deployment of our first commercial satellites is a defining moment for Pixxel and a giant step toward redefining the way we use space technology to tackle the planet's challenges,” said Awais Ahmed. , founder and CEO of Pixxel.
Pixxel's journey began in April 2022 with the historic launch of 'Shakuntala', India's first hyperspectral private Earth imaging satellite, on board a SpaceX mission via Exolaunch, followed by 'Anand' on ISRO's PSLV.
These milestones catalyzed India's private space ecosystem, proving that Indian companies could deliver breakthrough technology on par with global leaders.
Building on this legacy, the 'Fireflies' embody years of indigenous research and development and engineering excellence and a vision to bring globally relevant and meaningful insights about the Earth from India.
The 'Firefly' constellation also marks a turning point in Indian space travel as the country's first commercial satellite constellation. These satellites exceed international standards in hyperspectral imaging and demonstrate India's growing innovation and leadership in advanced space technology. They embody the spirit of 'Make in India' and 'Atmanirbharta' while highlighting the truly progressive impact of India's space reforms.
Kshitij Khandelwal, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Pixxel, said: “Firefly's ability to detect subtle changes in Earth's ecosystems will provide industries and governments with the precise information needed to deliver critical tackle global challenges with confidence.”
Mr Ahmed told Reuters it plans to add 18 more spacecraft to the six it has already developed, projecting a share of the satellite imaging market expected to reach $19 billion (about Rs 1,64,451 crore) by 2029 reaches.