05 June 2025: In a significant stride toward bolstering Indo-French collaboration in the NewSpace sector, India-based Dhruva Space has entered into a strategic partnership with French space instrumentation leader Sodern ArianeGroup. The partnership will see the deployment of Sodern’s next-generation HORUS star tracker aboard a Dhruva Space nanosatellite as part of a landmark in-orbit demonstration (IOD) mission set for launch in 2026.
The announcement was made during the official High-Level Business Delegation to France and Italy, led by India’s Hon’ble Minister Shri Piyush Goyal, who called for deeper bilateral engagement in manufacturing and deep-tech sectors. Representing the Indian space-tech startup scene, Dhruva Space CEO and Co-founder Sanjay Nekkanti participated in the delegation in his dual capacity as the company’s head and Co-Chair of FICCI’s Space & Geospatial Data Committee.
The HORUS payload will be integrated with Dhruva Space’s indigenously developed P-30 nanosatellite platform, a modular bus architecture that has already undergone successful space qualification via the LEAP-TD mission on ISRO’s PSLV-C58 (POEM-3) in 2024. The mission falls under Dhruva Space’s flagship initiative, LEAP (Launching Expeditions for Aspiring Payloads), which aims to democratize access to orbit for global payload providers.
HORUS, equipped with a cutting-edge Active Pixel Sensor (APS) optimized for telecom platforms, delivers autonomous and high-precision attitude sensing capabilities. Alongside this IOD, Dhruva Space has also selected Sodern’s radiation-hardened Auriga™ star tracker for a series of upcoming missions, citing its robust design, reliability, and impressive legacy of 1,800 units in orbit.
Sodern ArianeGroup Chairman and CEO Vincent Dedieu hailed the collaboration, stating:
“We are honoured to be partnering with Dhruva Space. This collaboration exemplifies the growing strategic relationship between India and France and highlights the mutual commitment to innovation in space technologies. Dhruva Space has proven to be the ideal launch partner for the HORUS star tracker, and we’re excited to see it in action. Additionally, the selection of our Auriga™ tracker for Dhruva’s future missions reinforces our trust in this growing relationship.”
Sanjay Nekkanti echoed the sentiment, calling the partnership a landmark in Indo-French space collaboration:
“India and France share a legacy of technical excellence and mutual respect in the space domain. Our collaboration with Sodern is a proud extension of that heritage. By integrating Sodern’s flight-proven star trackers into Dhruva Space’s modular satellite platforms, we’re pushing the boundaries of satellite agility, performance, and mission-readiness for clients around the world.”
The announcement builds on earlier ties between the two companies. In October 2024, ArianeGroup Executive President Martin Sion inaugurated Dhruva Space’s state-of-the-art Space-grade Solar Panel Fabrication Facility at the company’s Hyderabad headquarters.
As India and France mark over six decades of space cooperation, this new partnership underscores a shared vision for the future of space exploration, commercial access to orbit, and innovation-driven collaboration.
About Dhruva Space:
Based in Hyderabad, Dhruva Space is a full-stack space engineering company offering integrated satellite, launch, and ground station solutions for civilian and defence sectors. The company provides modular satellite platforms and end-to-end mission support to clients worldwide.
More info: www.dhruvaspace.com
About Sodern ArianeGroup:
A subsidiary of ArianeGroup, Sodern specializes in optical and inertial instrumentation for space, defence, and industrial sectors. With a legacy of over 60 years, Sodern continues to drive innovation in high-performance space navigation systems and scientific instrumentation.
More info: www.sodern.com
