Tata and Satellogic sign deal to build LEO satellites in India

Tata and Satellogic sign deal to build LEO satellites in India
by Simon Mansfield
Sydney, Australia (SPX) Nov 30, 2023

Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) and Satellogic Inc. (NASDAQ: SATL) have announced a strategic collaboration to foster local space technology capabilities in India. This partnership marks a critical juncture in TASL's satellite strategy and represents Satellogic's significant entry into the burgeoning Indian defense and commercial market.

The collaboration will initiate with comprehensive training and knowledge transfer, focusing on the local assembly of optical sub-meter resolution EO satellites. The TSAT-1A, the first satellite to be launched under this partnership, is a cornerstone of the project, emphasizing the manufacturing of satellites in India. The production will be centered at TASL's satellite Assembly, Integration, and Testing (AIT) facility in Vemagal, Karnataka, highlighting India's growing focus on enhancing its local space industry.

Sukaran Singh, CEO and Managing Director of TASL, emphasized the broader implications of this venture, stating, "Space is important to TASL not just as a business but also due to its culture of precision that will help other activities in TASL." He further highlighted TASL's commitment to working with local SMEs to integrate India-centric payloads and technologies, reinforcing the drive to augment India's content in this high-tech field.

The partnership will also delve into the development of new satellite designs and the integration of multiple payloads on a single satellite. This approach aims to generate a diverse range of data for applications in national defense and commercial sectors.

Emiliano Kargieman, CEO and Founder of Satellogic, underscored the value of this collaboration in terms of accessibility and capacity building in space technology. "This collaboration will accelerate space capacity building for one of the largest nations in the world with the goal of enabling the advancement of commercial space capabilities and greater access to critical information," Kargieman said. He also referred to the partnership as a prime example of the capabilities inherent in Satellogic's Space Systems program.

This contract with TASL marks a significant expansion for Satellogic, as it represents their second Space Systems customer, following an agreement with an international space agency. The venture between TASL and Satellogic is poised to significantly enhance India's capabilities in Earth Observation and satellite technology, marking a new era in the nation's aerospace and defense sectors.