OrbitAID to Demonstrate Satellite Life Extension Mission in 2027

Bengaluru-based space tech startup OrbitAID Aerospace is likely to launch a satellite life extension demonstration mission in the first quarter of 2027. The company will use two 70-kilogram satellites, AayulSAT-2A and AayulSAT-2B, to demonstrate satellite servicing in Low Earth orbit (LEO). 

The mission will test inspection, rendezvous, docking, refuelling and life extension.

It will involve one satellite acting as the chaser and the other as the target. After separation, the chaser will track the target from a distance before switching to visual navigation. 

The mission will use onboard sensors to inspect the target and create a 3D reconstruction. The chaser will then dock with the target, transfer propellant and raise its altitude before returning it to its original orbit.

OrbitAID said it will use its proprietary Standardised Interface for Docking and Refuelling (SIDRP) for its operations. 

“By demonstrating the entire life extension mission, we are proving end-to-end RPOD operations in a single mission,” said Sakthikumar Ramachandran, Founder and CEO of OrbitAID. He added that the company will now focus on turning the demonstration into servicing contracts with geostationary orbit (GEO) satellite operators.

The startup said the mission will also use ARCAS, its LAR docking mechanism, and software for autonomous RPOD operations. The company developed the two satellites from concept design to launch readiness in 11 months. 

It said the work involved an international supply chain, and the approach is designed to scale to GEO (Geostationary Earth Orbit), where satellite life extension has higher commercial value. OrbitAID aims to move from demonstrating the technology to providing servicing for satellite operators.

The company is developing technologies for satellite inspection, active debris removal and refuelling. The company is also developing orbital fuel stations to support long-term in-orbit infrastructure.