Spacetech startup Dhruva Space to launch maiden commercial mission with Australian collaboration
Empower your mind, elevate your skills
Hyderabad-based spacetech startup Dhruva Space is set to launch its first commercial mission, LEAP-1, in collaboration with Australian partners Akula Tech and Esper Satellites. The mission is scheduled to lift off aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in the third quarter of 2025.The startup on Monday said the LEAP-1 mission will carry two payloads on Dhruva's indigenously developed P-30 satellite platform, an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered module from Akula Tech and a hyperspectral imager from Esper Satellites. The mission represents a growing Indo-Australian strategic partnership in the space tech sector.The two payloads will have a wide range of applications across defence, disaster response, agriculture, mining, and environmental management. Akula Tech's on-board AI module is designed to process and retrain machine learning models in orbit for earth observation use cases. Esper Satellites' imager will deliver spectrally-rich remote sensing data through its technology.This will be Dhruva's first hosted payload mission after successfully testing its P-30 satellite bus in orbit during ISRO 's PSLV-C58 POEM-3 mission in January 2024. 'Dhruva Space's hosted payload offering integrates ground station-as-a-service (GSaaS) and its proprietary Integrated Space Operations and Command Suite (ISOCS) for real-time mission management and payload data downlinking,' the startup said in a statement.The startup said it is seeing a growing interest in its payload offerings from customers across India, Europe, and Australia.'Teaming up with our commercial partners in Australia creates remarkable opportunities for Indo-Australian Space business, which will, in turn, foster a long-term partnership. India is already a key economic and regional partner, and we see this mission symbolic of India's status as a fast-growing space programme,' said Sanjay Nekkanti, cofounder, Dhruva Space.The space startup credited ISRO and the Australian Space Agency, whose engagement in September 2022 led to meaningful interactions with a delegation of Australian space startups. These discussions helped build long-term Indo-Australian partnerships and support from SpaceX for mission readiness.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Economic Times
25 minutes ago
- Economic Times
AI news today: Over 10,000 jobs lost in 2025 due to artificial intelligence, Karnataka working with cos to assess workforce impact and more
Artificial intelligence continues to make headlines across sectors, from regulation to investment. OpenAI announced it would freely release two AI models used in chatbot development, a move expected to spark both praise and debate among AI experts. Meanwhile, U.S. authorities voiced concern over the use of AI in setting personalized airline ticket prices, with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy pledging an investigation. In Abu Dhabi, MGX is reportedly aiming to raise up to $25 billion for an AI-focused investment fund. At the same time, AI's impact on the job market is becoming evident, with over 10,000 U.S. job losses in 2025 linked to the technology, according to a new report. In India, the AI conversation spans both innovation and accountability. Force Motors launched an AI-driven fleet intelligence platform for its commercial vehicles, offering real-time analytics and predictive maintenance. Karnataka IT Minister Priyank Kharge revealed that the state is conducting a survey on AI's workforce impact, expected to conclude in a month. On the cultural front, actor-filmmaker Farhan Akhtar weighed in on the controversy over the AI-altered re-release of Raanjhanaa , expressing his support for creative integrity and the original vision of filmmakers. OpenAI to share parts of ChatGPT tech with public In a move likely to draw both praise and concern from AI experts, OpenAI announced on Tuesday that it will make two of its chatbot-powered AI models freely available. US criticizes use of AI to set personalized airline tickets, would investigate U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Tuesday the department has concerns about the use of AI to set personalized airline ticket prices and will investigate if anyone does so. Abu Dhabi's MGX could raise as much as $25 billion for AI investment fund, Bloomberg News reports Abu Dhabi-based MGX is considering plans to raise billions of dollars in third-party capital as it looks to ramp up investments in artificial intelligence, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday. MGX could raise as much as $25 billion for the vehicle, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter. AI has led to more than 10,000 job cuts this year, shows report AI has been linked to over 10,000 job losses in the U.S. so far in 2025, according to a new report by Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Force Motors launches AI-driven fleet intelligence analytics platform Pune-based automaker Force Motors on Tuesday announced the launch of a new connected vehicle platform for AI-driven fleet intelligence and predictive analytics, and said the new offering will come as a standard feature across all its commercial vehicles besides as a certified aftermarket solution through authorized to complete AI workforce impact survey in a month: Priyank Kharge Karnataka IT Minister Priyank Kharge on Tuesday said the state is talking to companies to evaluate the impact of AI on workforce and the assessment is expected to be completed in about a month. "I will always stand with the creator": Farhan Akhtar amid controversy over AI-altered re-release of 'Raanjhanaa' The controversy surrounding the AI-altered ending of the Dhanush-starrer 'Raanjhanaa' has gained momentum, as after filmmaker Aanand L Rai and Dhanush, now actor-filmmaker Farhan Akhtar has spoken about it and shown his support for the creators. He said, "I will always stand with the creator of the film. And, if the creator of the film was unhappy about his or her work being changed, I will always support the creator. So that's where my loyalty lies. The rest, the finer print of what happened there, I am not privy to. But that's all I can say about that".
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
27 minutes ago
- Business Standard
US slams use of AI to personalise airline ticket prices, would investigate
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Tuesday the department has concerns about the use of AI to set personalised airline ticket prices and will investigate if anyone does so. Last week, Delta Air Lines told lawmakers it will not and has not used AI to set prices for individual consumers. "To try to individualise pricing on seats based on how much you make or don't make or who you are, I can guarantee you that we will investigate if anyone does that," Duffy said. "We would engage very strongly if any company tries to use AI to individually price their seating." Duffy noted Delta clarified that it would not use AI for pricing individual tickets, "and I'll take them at face value." Late last month, Democratic Senators Ruben Gallego, Mark Warner and Richard Blumenthal said they believed the Atlanta-based airline would use AI to set individual prices, which would "likely mean fare price increases up to each individual consumer's personal 'pain point.'" Delta previously said it plans to deploy AI-based revenue management technology across 20 per cent of its domestic network by the end of 2025 in partnership with Fetcherr, an AI pricing company. Fetcherr on its website says its technology is "trusted by the world's leading airlines," and lists Delta, Westjet, Virgin Atlantic, Viva and Azul. American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said last month using AI to set ticket prices could hurt consumer trust. Democratic lawmakers Greg Casar and Rashida Tlaib have introduced legislation to bar companies from using AI to set prices or wages based on Americans' personal data and would specifically ban airlines raising individual prices after seeing a search for a family obituary. Delta said airlines have used dynamic pricing for more than three decades, in which pricing fluctuates based on a variety of factors like overall customer demand, fuel prices and competition, but not a specific consumer's personal information.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
27 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Gland Pharma Q1 profit jumps 50% on core growth, Cenexi turnaround
Hyderabad-based Gland Pharma reported a 50 per cent increase in its consolidated net profit year-on-year (Y-o-Y), reaching ₹215 crore for the first quarter of the financial year (Q1FY26). Revenue from operations rose 7 per cent Y-o-Y to ₹1,505 crore. The growth was driven by robust performance in its core business and a successful turnaround at Cenexi, a French pharmaceutical contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO) specialising in sterile injectable and lyophilised drug products, which Gland Pharma acquired in 2023. Sequentially, the company's net profit rose by 15 per cent, and revenue increased by 6 per cent. 'We're off to a positive start this year with growth in revenue and a jump in profitability. Our strategic priorities are progressing and we are strengthening our capabilities, adding new capacity, and boosting R&D with complex products and key partnerships,' said Srinivas Sadu, executive chairman, Gland Pharma. 'By enhancing our base business, investing in differentiated products and driving operational efficiencies, we are positioning ourselves for sustained growth. Our focus on adherence to global quality standards and investment in capability building position us to scale further, tap new markets and deliver long-term value,' said Shyamakant Giri, chief executive officer, Gland Pharma. During the quarter, research and development (R&D) expenses stood at ₹46 crore, accounting for 4.4 per cent of revenue. The company launched 12 new molecules in regulated markets, including Colistimethate, Epinephrine, Vancomycin (three new strengths), Liraglutide and Acetaminophen bags. One abbreviated new drug application (ANDA) was filed and nine were approved during the quarter, bringing cumulative US ANDA filings to 372 (325 approved and 47 pending). Its in-house complex pipeline saw six product launches, with three more awaiting approval. Complex injectables remain a key driver of long-term growth, with more products being added to the pipeline. Fifteen products are in co-development (seven under the 505(b)(2) pathway and eight ANDAs), with commercialisation expected to begin in FY28. One ready-to-use (RTU) infusion bag was filed this quarter, bringing the total RTU product filings in the US to 20 (14 approved). Another 10 are in development, targeting a $767 million market. The company expanded its GLP-1 portfolio, launching Liraglutide in the UK and Australia, and is increasing GLP-1/pen/cartridge capacity from 40 million to 140 million units. It also received a good manufacturing practice (GMP) compliance certificate from the Danish Medicines Agency for aseptically prepared powder for injection, infusion and inhalation. The results were announced after market hours. Gland Pharma's stock fell by 0.95 per cent, ending the day's trade at ₹1,962.30 per share on the BSE.
