Hyderabad gets India’s first private space servicing facility

Base 1 is the country's first end-to-end facility focused on in-orbit servicing, space sustainability and extending the life of satellites, he shared on X. It is also only the sixth such facility in the world.

Hyderabad: Calling Hyderabad a leader in space innovation in India, Telangana IT Minister D Sridhar Babu said on Thursday, November 5, that the government is planning to set up a Space City at Bharat Future City and also introduce a Telangana Space Tech Policy to support the growth of this sector.

Speaking at the inauguration of Hyderabad-based startup Cosmoserve Space’s Base 1 facility, he said, “We are now home to over 30 space-tech companies. They are building everything from launch vehicles and space data centres to debris removal systems and drug discovery platforms.”

Base 1 is the country’s first end-to-end facility focused on in-orbit servicing, space sustainability and extending the life of satellites, he shared on X. It is also only the sixth such facility in the world.

This facility, which will strengthen India’s capabilities in satellite servicing and space debris removal, follows Cosmoserve’s USD 6 million seed funding round, taking its total funding to over USD 9 million.

Base 1 is a comprehensive, state-of-the-art facility spread across approximately 14,800 square feet, where space robots are designed, built, tested under space conditions and operated through mission control.

Cosmoserve Space Founder and CEO Chiranjeevi Phanindra said, “In our first year, we have flown our first payload on an Indian rocket, raised our seed round, and today we open a facility where we can design, build, test and fly our missions under one roof.”

He said debris is becoming the limiting factor for every nation’s space ambitions, including India’s.

“Base 1 is where we build the capability to keep orbits usable for Gaganyaan, the Bharatiya Antariksh Station and every satellite that follows,” Phanindra said, according to a release.

‘Emerging global pioneer in space debris removal’

Union Minister Jitendra Singh said that India is emerging as one of the global pioneers in space debris removal.

Outlining a vision of achieving debris-free space by 2030, he said India’s emerging capabilities in active space debris removal reflect the country’s growing global leadership in space technology and its commitment to ensuring a safe space environment for all of humanity, an official release said.

Speaking virtually at the inauguration, the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology said, “India is emerging among the early global pioneers in space debris removal, with an Indian startup advancing technologies to make outer space safer and more sustainable.”

He said Cosmoserve Space’s partnerships with Pixel for satellite systems, Dhruv Aerospace Netherlands for propulsion systems and Skyroot Aerospace for launch services demonstrate an emerging culture of end-to-end collaboration in space technology.

‘India’s space startup ecosystem expanded to 450 enterprises’

He said India’s space economy has grown to nearly USD 9 billion and is projected to reach USD 40–45 billion in the coming decade, while its space startup ecosystem has expanded from a single-digit number to nearly 450 enterprises.

He called upon domestic and international investors to participate more actively in the space sector and urged greater philanthropy in science and research to accelerate innovation, strengthen collaborations and support emerging technologies.

Singh said India’s ultimate objective remains technological self-reliance and sovereign capabilities, alongside international partnerships.

(With PTI inputs)