GalaxEye, the Bengaluru‑based spacetech startup incubated at IIT‑Madras, has announced plans to develop its second satellite, featuring a 0.5 metre spatial resolution. This upgrade builds on the success of its first multi‑sensor satellite, promising enhanced earth‑observation capabilities.
From First to Second: Evolving Satellite Strategy
GalaxEye successfully tested its GLX‑SQ payload, which fuses Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and optical imaging, aboard ISRO’s PSLV Orbital Experiment Module (POEM) in late 2024. This breakthrough validated the core SyncFusion technology: simultaneous SAR + optical capture, fast data processing, and compression in orbit.
‘The first satellite, named Mission Drishti, will pioneer this multi‑sensor fusion from orbit, offering all‑weather, high‑resolution imaging designed for defence, agriculture, disaster response, maritime, and insurance use.
Now, the second satellite aims to double down on performance, offering 0.5 metre resolution, a significant improvement over typical 1 m+ microsatellite sensors. This sharpness opens up detailed urban mapping, precision agriculture, and infrastructure monitoring.
Why 0.5 Metre Matters
Achieving 50 cm resolution puts GalaxEye’s satellite in the sub‑metre category, enabling:
- Urban insights: Differentiating vehicles, small structures, road markings.
- Agriculture precision: Spotting variations within individual crop rows.
- Structural analysis: Monitoring infrastructure like towers or pipelines with centimeter‑level accuracy.
This leap enhances applications in insurance claims, defence surveillance, and disaster‑impact assessment, helping clients make more accurate decisions.
Backed by Strong Funding and Support
GalaxEye closed a $10M Series A in late 2024, led by MountTech Growth Fund–Kavachh (backed by former defence secretary Ajay Kumar), with participation from Infosys, Mela Ventures, Speciale Invest, ideaForge, and others. Earlier in 2024, it also secured $6.5M to support the Drishti Mission.
In order to take advantage of national resources for satellite development, launch, and testing, GalaxEye collaborates with IN-SPACe and ISRO.
Implications for India’s Spacetech Ecosystem
GalaxEye’s progress highlights India’s accelerating private satellite sector. With a constellation of 32 multi‑sensor satellites planned by 2028 , the startup could deliver next‑gen Earth observation services that rival global players. Their success underscores how India is becoming a global hub for advanced remote sensing innovation.
Looking Ahead
The upcoming second satellite, with its 0.5 metre resolution, marks a bold step for GalaxEye in carving out high‑precision, all‑weather imaging capabilities. As Mission Drishti readies for launch in the latter half of 2025, all eyes are on the enhanced performance promised by this new satellite.
This development enhances GalaxEye’s technology and supports India’s goals in space technology. It will provide important data that various sectors need, including defense, agriculture, disaster response, and urban planning.
