Spacetech startup GalaxEye deploys GLX-SQ payload with ISRO
This technology demonstration combines hardware and software to pave the way for future Synthetic Aperture Radar and Earth observation missions, advancing progress in remote sensing.
Spacetech startup has announced the deployment of its GLX-SQ payload, combining Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and optical imagery technologies.
The GLX-SQ payload aims to generate, capture, and process SAR images in space, completing image processing and compression within 10 minutes, reducing 400 MB of raw data to under 1.5 MB.
This technology demonstration combines hardware and software to pave the way for future SAR and Earth observation missions, advancing progress in remote sensing, according to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
The Bengaluru-based firm’s payload took flight on December 31, 2024, aboard ISRO’s POEM-4 (PS4-Orbital Experiment Module) platform, carried by the Polar Synchronous Launch Vehicle (PSLV)-C60.
A total of 24 payloads were flown in POEM-4 mission, including 14 payloads from ISRO/Department of Space (DOS) centres and 10 payloads from various non-government entities, comprising academia and startups. These were received through the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe), a single-window, independent nodal agency that functions autonomously within the DOS.
The POEM platform, which ingeniously converts the PSLV rocket’s fourth stage into an orbital testbed, offers the scientific community a chance to conduct in-orbit microgravity experiments for up to three months. These experimental payloads help validate proof-of-concept and enabling technologies for future missions.
POEM-4 in PSLV-C60. | Credit: ISRO/GalaxEye
By combining SAR and optical imagery technologies, the payload aims to provide enhanced insights beyond traditional remote sensing, with the ability to process and compress large data volumes, converting analog signals to digital format in under 10 minutes, offering efficient, real-time solutions for real-world challenges in areas like defence, agriculture, and disaster response.
“The GLX-SQ mission is a landmark achievement for GalaxEye and the space technology industry. By fusing Synthetic Aperture Radar and optical imagery in orbit, we have set a new benchmark for Earth observation,” said Suyash Singh, Co-founder and CEO of GalaxEye.
“It’s not just a technological milestone but the beginning of a journey to redefine the possibilities of remote sensing and space-based solutions,” he added.
Building on this success, GalaxEye is preparing for Mission Drishti, its flagship multi-sensor satellite that aims to deliver all-weather, high-resolution imaging.
GalaxEye is developing indigenous multi-sensor imaging satellites, equipped with optical multi-spectral imaging and SAR technologies. These satellites aim to provide continuous, all-weather information for any location on Earth, offering benefits to industries such as defence, agriculture, and mining.
The IIT Madras-incubated startup plans to launch its first satellite in the second quarter of 2025, followed by two additional launches the next year, the CEO had told YourStory.
In November, the startup closed a $10 million Series A funding round led by MountTech Growth Fund – Kavachh as a strategic investor.
Founded in 2021, GalaxEye was established by a group of members—Singh, Denil Chawda, Kishan Thakkar, Pranit Mehta, and Rakshit Bhatt—who emerged from Avishkar Hyperloop, a global competition organised by Elon Musk’s aerospace company SpaceX.
The company has partnered with leading industry players in satellite platform systems, satellite assembly and testing, and launch segments for its satellite projects. Its advisory board includes experts from organisations like DRDO, Waymo, ISRO, and Swiss Re.
Edited by Megha Reddy