Bengaluru-based spacetech startup OXG Space has raised Rs 17 crore in a funding round led by Aum Ventures through its India Innovation Fund II, as the startup develops an orbital network designed to process and transmit Earth-observation satellite data in near-real time.
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The round also saw participation from Pawan Kumar Chandana and Naga Bharath Daka, co-founders of Skyroot Aerospace, and Chiran Phanindra, founder of Cosmoserve.
Founded by former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) engineers Akash Shetty and Sanjay Gorur, OXG Space is developing what it describes as edge cell towers in space. The proposed network would combine satellite connectivity with in-orbit computing to reduce delays in delivering Earth-observation data to users on the ground.
The fresh capital will fund Mission Synapse, a 12-month programme aimed at demonstrating the company’s core technologies in orbit.
What problem is OXG Space trying to solve?
Earth-observation satellites collect images and other information used in applications such as environmental monitoring, surveillance and defence. However, satellites that rely on direct communication with ground stations may have to store data until they come within range of a suitable station.
This can delay the transmission and processing of satellite information, particularly for applications requiring timely observations.
According to OXG Space, the time between collecting satellite data and obtaining usable information can range from four to 12 hours, depending on communication and processing arrangements.
To address these delays, the startup is developing an orbital network that combines connectivity inspired by 5G non-terrestrial network (NTN) technology with computing capabilities in space.
The proposed system will use shared nodes in orbit to communicate with customer satellites, process information and combine data from multiple sources before transmitting the results to Earth.
OXG Space is targeting applications in Earth observation, defence and intelligence, where faster access to processed information could support surveillance and coordination across optical, radar and signals-intelligence systems.
“For years, the industry has tried to solve the EO data problem by adding downlink capacity and ground stations. The constraint is geometric, and no amount of ground infrastructure removes it. We are putting the network and the compute in orbit, where the data is created, so that operators can reach their satellites at any time and act on what they see while it still matters,” said Akash Shetty and Sanjay Gorur, co-founders of OXG Space.
How will OXG Space use the funding?
The Rs 17 crore investment will support Mission Synapse, through which OXG Space plans to demonstrate three technologies intended for its orbital network.
These include a Ka-band phased-array antenna targeting an initial communication link capacity of 1 gigabit per second (Gbps), with a longer-term roadmap targeting 64 Gbps per spacecraft.
The startup is also developing a deployable mesh reflector for ground connectivity and a scalable deployable solar array to power communications and computing payloads in orbit.
The technologies are intended to support the proposed network’s ability to exchange, process and transmit satellite data.
The announced communication capacities remain development targets, with the planned demonstrations intended to test the underlying technologies in orbit.
Who are the founders of OXG Space?
OXG Space was founded by Shetty and Gorur, who have more than 17 years of combined experience working on India’s space programmes.
Their previous work includes large deployable mesh reflector antennas and spacecraft systems associated with ISRO’s Chandrayaan-2 and Chandrayaan-3 missions.
According to the startup, Shetty has more than a decade of experience in spacecraft mechanisms and large deployable antennas, including work on an 18-metre deployable mesh reflector antenna. He also holds an MBA from INSEAD.
Gorur has seven years of experience in satellite systems engineering, covering design, manufacturing, integration and qualification of spacecraft hardware. His work includes deployable solar arrays, antennas and release mechanisms used in satellite missions.
Chetan Mehta, founding partner at Aum Ventures, said the increasing number of Earth-observation satellites has created a need for faster access to the information they collect.
“Earth-observation constellations are growing fast, but most of what they capture waits hours for a ground pass and loses value every hour it waits. OXG Space is building the missing layer, connectivity and compute in orbit, so that data becomes intelligence while it still matters, for India’s sovereign programmes and for operators worldwide,” Mehta said.
Aum Ventures has previously invested in Indian spacetech companies including Skyroot Aerospace, Sanyark Space and Cosmoserve, with investments spanning launch services and technologies designed for operations in orbit.
