In a step forward for India’s private space sector, SpaceX has launched an Earth-Imaging satellite built and tested in India by the Tata Group. The ‘TSAT-1A’ satellite was launched on the Bandwagon-1 mission, launched by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, United States on April 7 at 23:16 UTC.
In a joint effort between India’s Tata Advanced System Limited (TASL) and foreign firm Satellogic, the TSAT-1A was assembled at the Tata Group’s Assembly, Integration and Test (AIT) facility in Vemagal, Karnataka. In November 2023, TASL and Satellogic entered into a pact to develop and integrate an advanced Earth observation satellite.
TSAT-1A is a sub-meter resolution satellite, meaning it produces images where objects that are less than one meter apart can be clearly distinguished. Satellites used for defense and strategic purposes have resolutions ranging from one meter to even 30 centimeters or less. This helps to clearly distinguish even the smallest objects and derive maximum information from the image.
In 2020, the Government of India introduced reforms in the government-only space sector, allowing private firms to undertake complex space activities. It is a move aimed at increasing India’s overall share of the lucrative global space economy. Under the reforms, private companies can design, build and launch their own satellites, rockets and offer space services.
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Before the reforms, only India’s government space agency was allowed to carry out complex space activities, while private firms could only supply hardware and provide services to the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).
In order to boost domestic industries, startups and open it up to foreign entities, the Indian government has also recently allowed FDI in the country’s space sector.
