Bengaluru-based space startup launches US operations in Colorado

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the United States, Bengaluru-based space startup Digantara on Feb 11 announced the opening of its operations in Colorado where it plans to build spacecraft.

Digantara has invested US $1 million and plans to add another $10-15 million over the next six to eight months as its plans to serve clients that include US Department of Defense (DoD) agencies, such as the United States Air Force (USAF) and Space Force.

Colorado Governor Jared Polis reaffirmed the state's commitment to fostering innovation and strengthening ties with India's rapidly growing space industry.

"Our expansion into the US reinforces our commitment to advancing space surveillance and intelligence globally. As space threats evolve, so must our investments in resilient technologies, positioning us to support mission-critical defense and intelligence operations" Anirudh Sharma, co-founder and CEO of Digantara, said.

Prime Minister Modi will be in the US on Feb 13 and 14.

Digantara's expansion into the US comes as a direct outcome of key India-US strategic initiatives, including the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) and the INDUS-X framework, in which the start-up has been actively engaged with since their inception.

Digantara's Colorado operations include a dedicated facility for spacecraft manufacturing and space optics production which will play a critical role in supporting the Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) needs in the US.

In recognition, the State of Colorado has pledged close to $1 million in operational incentives to accelerate Digantara's expansion into the US, a company statement said.

Digantara is also engaged in flagship programs that cater to the direct need of the customer led by Space Rapid Capability Office, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD), and Space Systems Command's SDA TAP LAB in building advanced Space Situational Awareness (SSA) capabilities.

The startup recently launched its first space-based space surveillance satellite, SCOT, which is equipped with advanced electro-optical sensors to track resident space objects as small as 5 cm.

The mission is focused towards overcoming the limitations of existing sensors by enabling precise tracking and higher revisit rate, enhancing space safety and situational awareness.

(PTI)