Startup Originals Team
Hyderabad-based space tech startup Dhruva Space is set to mark a major milestone in its journey by launching its first commercial satellite mission, LEAP-1, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in the third quarter of 2025. This mission positions Dhruva Space among India’s pioneering private space innovators and underscores growing global partnerships in satellite technology.
Mission Details: Indo-Australian Collaboration Takes Flight
The LEAP-1 mission brings together the strengths of Indian and Australian space tech companies. Dhruva Space’s LEAP-1 satellite, built on its modular and flexible P-30 platform, will carry advanced payloads from two Australian firms:
- Akula Tech’s Nexus-01: An artificial intelligence (AI) module designed for onboard data processing and real-time geospatial analytics. Its capabilities include adaptive learning, allowing it to retrain models using fresh sensor data from orbit for applications like fire detection and environmental monitoring.
- Esper Satellites’ OTR-2: A hyperspectral imager that provides spectrally rich Earth observation data. This has major potential for use in defense, disaster response, agriculture, mining, and environmental protection.
Technology and Platforms: From ISRO to SpaceX
The P-30 satellite platform, which will host the payloads, was successfully space-qualified during Dhruva’s earlier LEAP-TD mission with ISRO’s PSLV-C58 rocket in January 2024. Dhruva Space’s move to the SpaceX Falcon 9 for LEAP-1 highlights the Indian startup’s ambitions to expand its global presence and scalability.
The mission also marks the transition of Dhruva Space from technology demonstrations to full commercial satellite operations, offering its hosted payloads as a recurring service to clients worldwide.
End-to-End Operations and Services:
Dhruva Space is providing a comprehensive solution that includes:
- Ground Station-as-a-Service (GSaaS) for real-time mission management and data downlinking;
- Its proprietary Integrated Space Operations & Command Suite (ISOCS) for seamless payload operations.
This integrated approach enables Dhruva to support the complete lifecycle of space missions for both domestic and international clients.
Strategic Partnerships and Market Expansion:
The collaboration is seen as a major step forward for Indo-Australian space relations and reflects growing global interest. Dhruva Space’s CEO, Sanjay Nekkanti, noted that the company is attracting customers not only from India and Australia, but also from Europe and Asia, marking the LEAP program as a vital platform for international hosted payload missions.
Esper Satellites highlighted that its low-cost satellite campaign-completed for under $1 million-is proof that cutting-edge Earth observation technology is becoming increasingly accessible.
Conclusion: A New Era for Indian Private Space Sector
Dhruva Space’s upcoming LEAP-1 mission on a SpaceX rocket represents a turning point for the Indian private space sector, combining indigenous technology, international collaboration, and cost-effective solutions. As the mission approaches its Q3 2025 launch date, all eyes will be on this ambitious startup as it charts new territory in global commercial satellite operations.
