Dhruva Space Receives IN-SPACe Authorisation for Ground Station as a Service

Hyderabad-based Dhruva Space has received authorisation from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) to offer Ground Station as a Service (GSaaS), marking a significant milestone in the company's ability to support a wide range of space missions commercially.

Dhruva Space CEO Sanjay Nekkanti received the authorisation letter from IN-SPACe chairman Pawan Goenka in Ahmedabad on Monday. Nekkanti said GSaaS will empower private Indian companies by providing cost-effective access to satellite data, accelerating their internal R&D efforts.

Dhruva Space has already indigenously designed and developed six ground stations in VHF and UHF bands, and two ground stations in S and/or X bands. In 2021, the company established an S&X ground station at IIT-Hyderabad, which will play a pivotal role in supporting its upcoming LEAP-1 hosted payload mission later in 2024.

Setting up ground stations in India currently involves high upfront costs. GSaaS provides cost-effective access to shared ground station infrastructure, reducing financial barriers for satellite operators. India's strategic location also enhances GSaaS support for launch vehicle activities.

The IN-SPACe authorisation empowers Dhruva Space to offer critical ground support, enabling real-time satellite communication and control. It also fosters innovation by providing startups access to advanced ground station facilities.

"Dhruva Space is excited to receive authorisation from IN-SPACe for our Ground Station as a Service initiative across India," said Nekkanti. "This milestone not only underscores our commitment to advancing space technology but also reinforces our role in supporting the growing number of space startups aiming to validate their spacecraft in orbit."

Dhruva Space recently raised $9.4 million in a mix of equity and debt from IAN Alpha Fund and others to further its space technology development efforts. The full-stack space engineering company creates exceptional small satellite systems to help space exploration technology meet human imagination.