Building a multipurpose 'space taxi' for orbital logistics

Hyderabad-based Stardour Aerospace’s goal is not only to make space more accessible but also to accelerate innovation.

“No one is doing real research. Everybody is making just cheaper copies of technologies which are already available. But that wouldn’t be a problem in the traditional sense for the world because it is not an investable problem,” said Founder Sankarsh Chanda, highlighting a major challenge faced by the Indian space-tech industry.

The startup, which develops reusable in-space logistical vehicles, was founded in 2020 by Chanda.

Tackling last mile space logistics

From a commercial perspective, Stardour is addressing the issue of last-mile logistics— the precise orbital insertion of satellites from a launch vehicle’s drop-off orbit into their designated operational orbit.

Usually, launch vehicles can’t insert satellites into an exact orbit, only into the general vicinity of it. “That last mile delivery — from where a launch vehicle leaves a satellite, to its final orbit — that’s the movement we tackle,” explained Chanda.

This capability allows clients to focus on their missions rather than engines, propulsion systems, or orbit-raising complexities.

A multipurpose space taxi

At the centre of Stardour’s vision is Lucas, an orbital transfer vehicle (OTV) described by Chanda as a “space taxi.” Lucas serves as a versatile in-space mobility platform, bridging the gap between launch and mission operations.

Lucas can carry telescopes and cameras and it can also help conduct research activities in orbit. In addition, Lucas is also being designed to help clear space debris and de-orbit satellites at the end of their lifespans, ensuring safe disposal through controlled re-entry.

While early concepts include a robotic arm for maintenance and proximity operations, the company notes these are part of its long-term development roadmap.

Lucas is expected to support missions across multiple industries: from geospatial surveillance and agriculture to asset management and telecom.

“There are multiple industries which are of interest to us,” affirmed Chanda.

Propulsion innovation

One of Stardour’s biggest breakthroughs is its hydrogen–oxygen propulsion thruster, based on a liquid oxygen (LOX) and liquid hydrogen (LH₂) system.

“It’s cleaner, greener, more efficient, and much easier to carry and handle as a fuel,” said Chanda, referring to the many advantages of the cryogenic propellant, which produces only water vapour as exhaust.

This propulsion system, developed in-house and successfully test-fired at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, marks the first of its kind in India from a private company. Globally, only a few organisations — including NASA — have worked extensively with similar green cryogenic systems.

Stardour has completed ground testing of its propulsion systems and plans to move to in-space flight tests by next year. By late 2027 or early 2028, the company aims to launch Lucas into orbit.

Building journey and team

Stardour currently has a compact team of engineers and scientists, with about half focused on propulsion and the rest distributed across structures, avionics, guidance and navigation, thermal systems, and mission design.

Chanda, who is also the sole promoter, is supported by a team of experts such as B. Rama Rao, the Chief Technical Officer and an ISRO veteran involved since the inception of the OTV project; Vandana Anumagala, Head of Propulsion; and Vivek Satheesh, Mission Design Lead.

Despite being small, the team, Chanda says, is deeply research-driven. As he put it, “We are known for our space technologies. But in the near future, we want to be known for our innovations.”

Path ahead

Until now, Stardour has been primarily bootstrapped, with major contributions coming from Chanda alongside smaller investments from external backers.

The company is now in the midst of a funding round, aiming to raise around Rs 15–20 crore to invest in team expansion, procurement of hardware and software, construction of an in-house test facility, and completion of subsystem development and integration.

Stardour’s commitment to R&D-driven innovation also reflects its broader goal of elevating India’s role in the global space economy. With its hydrogen-oxygen propulsion and the development of Lucas, Stardour is positioning itself among the few companies worldwide working at the intersection of clean propulsion and in-space logistics.

“If we are able to get it done in time, we will be the world’s first, not just India’s first,” affirmed Chanda, referring to being among the first companies globally to launch a privately developed LOX–LH₂ powered system.

India’s commercial space sector has accelerated rapidly since 2020, following the creation of IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre) and the opening of the industry to private participation. 

Startups are now taking on roles once reserved for ISRO — from launch vehicles to satellite manufacturing and in-orbit data services. Leading players include Skyroot Aerospace, Agnikul Cosmos, Bellatrix Aerospace, Dhruva Space and Pixxel, and Digantara.