GalaxEye Set to Launch Drishti Satellite in Early May, Eyes Expansion with 10 Additional Satellites and New Facility

GalaxEye Prepares to Launch Drishti, India's Largest Privately Built Satellite

GalaxEye, a Bengaluru-based spacetech startup, is gearing up to launch its first satellite, Drishti, in the first week of May. The launch marks a critical in-orbit demonstration of the company's proprietary OptoSAR technology.

Assembly, integration, and testing of Drishti have been completed, and the satellite is now ready to be launched on a US-based launch services provider. While the company has declined to comment on the specifics of the launch, co-founder Suyash Singh confirmed that everything is in place for the liftoff.

A Heavier, Higher-Resolution Private Satellite

Read also: Google Pixel Watch Leak: Diver's Discovery Sparks Speculation

Drishti weighs approximately 190 kg, making it one of the largest privately built satellites in India. The satellite is designed to provide sub-metre to a few-metre resolution imaging, positioning it as a meaningful addition to India's limited pool of high-resolution earth observation satellites.

At the core of Drishti is GalaxEye's proprietary OptoSAR technology, which combines optical imaging and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) sensors at the hardware level. This approach allows the satellite to capture high-quality images even in poor lighting conditions or when cloud cover obstructs the view.

Defence-First Demand, SaaS-Style Delivery

Read also: Chinese Startup Claims AI Coding Capabilities Exceed Those of GPT-5.5: A Detailed Examination

Drishti will operate in low Earth orbit and cater to defence, civil, and commercial customers. In the near term, defence and security agencies are expected to drive demand. The company plans to deliver data through a platform model, where customers can request imagery for specific locations, which is then captured and delivered via the company's ground systems.

Scaling Up: 10 Satellites and a New Facility

The next phase for GalaxEye is already in motion. The company plans to build a constellation of 10 second-generation satellites to improve coverage and revisit frequency. To support this scale-up, GalaxEye is planning a larger manufacturing facility in Bengaluru, likely within the year.

On the funding front, the company is in discussions with investors but is holding off on a fresh round until after the launch. The satellite itself will be the proof of GalaxEye's capabilities, and the company is taking a build-first approach to demonstrate its technology before scaling up.