Pixxel bags iDEX grant to supply earth imaging payloads to Indian Air Force

New Delhi, Jun 11 (PTI) Bengaluru-based space startup Pixel has received a grant through the government's iDEX scheme to develop earth observation payloads for the Indian Air Force, a company statement said on Wednesday.

Pixel, which is building a constellation of high-resolution hyperspectral imaging satellites, has signed a second agreement with Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) under the Ministry of Defence to supply advanced Hyperspectral and MWIR (Mid-Wave Infrared) payloads, tailored for the IAF.

"We're honoured to deepen our partnership with the government and advance our mission of building cutting-edge space infrastructure right here at home. This grant is a proud milestone in our journey to put India at the forefront of next-generation aerospace innovation," Awais Ahmed, founder and CEO of Pixxel, said in a statement.

The agreement was signed as part of the new SPARK (Support for Prototype and Research Kickstart) Grant, under iDEX DISC 8 Challenge 6.2.

In 2023, Pixxel was selected under the Mission DefSpace Challenge of iDEX Prime (Space) to manufacture miniaturised multi-payload satellites for the air force.

With this new milestone, Pixxel will leverage its cutting-edge optical engineering and in-house satellite manufacturing capabilities to design and build next-generation Earth observation payloads with security-grade performance, the company statement said.

The high-resolution Hyperspectral and MWIR payloads will enhance India's airborne and space-based imaging capabilities across various operational and strategic applications, it said.

The grant through the iDEX scheme is designed to accelerate the development of next-generation prototypes and technologies by Indian startups and MSMEs, fostering a self-reliant and innovation-driven landscape in the country.

With three Firefly satellites already in orbit and more to launch soon, Pixxel has demonstrated its ability to build scalable, affordable, and versatile space solutions from the ground up, the statement said.

The company also launched Pixxel Aurora, an Earth Observation Studio, which makes hyperspectral imagery accessible and usable through intuitive visualisation, analysis, and insight generation tools. PTI SKU RHL