Indian space startups ink pact with Australian firm to demonstrate refuelling satellites

Indian space sector startups have joined hands with an Australian platform to collaborate on demonstrating refuelling satellites in orbit and grant access to students in the southern continent to use AI platforms to test their model on satellites in real time.

The two memoranda were signed between HEX20, an Australian satellite platform, and Indian startups OrbitAid and TakeMe2Space on the sidelines of the 17th Australian Space Forum in Adelaide on Wednesday.

The Indian delegation to the forum was led by Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) officials Vinod Kumar and Shashank Saxena.

The delegation included representatives from AgniKul Cosmos, TakeMe2Space, Dhruva Space, Bellatrix Aerospace, XDLINX Space, mistEO OrbitAid Aerospace and Skyroot Aerospace, a statement from IN-SPACe said.

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According to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between HEX20 and OrbitAid, the two companies will collaborate to demonstrate technologies for in-orbit refuelling of satellites.

The MoU between HEX20 and TakeMe2Space will allow the Australian firm to use the Indian startup's AI modules and subsystems in their flatsat.

TakeMe2Space will give access to HEX20 to its OrbitLab platform for researchers and students to test and run their models on an actual satellite in real-time.

"These MoUs represent a significant step towards strengthening ties between our two nations in the space sector," said Dr Vinod Kumar, Director Promotion, IN-SPACe.