Indian Space Tech Startups Launch Payloads on SpaceX Falcon 9

Indian space technology startups TakeMe2Space, SatLeo Labs, and EON Space Labs have successfully deployed artificial intelligence computing and Earth observation technologies into orbit aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The launch, part of the Transporter-18 rideshare mission from California, marks a significant step for the country's private space sector.

TakeMe2Space's MOI-1A satellite, integrated with EON Space Labs' MIRA imaging system, and SatLeo Labs' TAPAS-1 thermal imaging payload, flying on Dhruva Space's LEAP-2 satellite, were among the payloads. The MOI-1A is designed to process Earth observation data in orbit using AI, drastically reducing the amount of raw data that needs to be transmitted to ground stations.

According to TakeMe2Space founder and CEO Ronak Kumar Samantray, this in-orbit AI processing can reduce data volume by a factor of 1,000, enabling faster insights for customers in sectors such as agriculture, defense, and insurance. The company has already secured 23 customers for its in-orbit inference services, with approximately 80% based internationally.

SatLeo Labs' TAPAS-1 is described as India's first dedicated commercial thermal payload, aimed at applications like urban heat mapping and disaster monitoring. EON Space Labs' MIRA is a compact multispectral imaging system. TakeMe2Space aims to build a six-satellite constellation, targeting completion by late 2028, with an expected annual recurring revenue of approximately $6 million from its in-orbit computing business.