BENGALURU, June 20, 2025 — Bengaluru-based space-tech startup GalaxEye is accelerating its eye-in-the-sky ambitions with the announcement of its second Earth-observation satellite. Building on the momentum of its flagship mission, Drishti, this new initiative comes in response to surging global demand for high-resolution, all-weather geospatial intelligence—particularly for agriculture, mining, disaster response, maritime surveillance, and defence sectors.
A Leap in Imaging Accuracy
The upcoming satellite will deliver sub-metre resolution imagery, with clarity reaching nearly 0.5 metres, significantly improving upon the 1.25-metre resolution of the first satellite. This enhancement will allow for precision monitoring of features such as crop canopy health, detection of offshore vessels, and observation of infrastructure changes in conflict zones.
Beyond sheer pixel clarity, the satellite will also offer faster revisit times, promising updates within less than three days—a feature that is expected to revolutionize how governments and enterprises make time-sensitive decisions.
“Faster revisit not only enhances responsiveness; it transforms static maps into dynamic decision tools,” said Suyash Singh, CEO and Co-founder of GalaxEye.
SyncFusion: The Technology Core
At the heart of GalaxEye’s technology is its proprietary SyncFusion payload, a fusion of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and multispectral optical imaging. This unique combination enables 24/7, all-weather operations by blending SAR’s cloud-penetrating capabilities with MSI’s rich spectral data.
The initial SyncFusion payload underwent a critical proof-of-concept flight aboard ISRO’s POEM platform in December 2024. The system was field-tested across 500 drone sorties and in space, even withstanding the harsh radiation environment of the South Atlantic Anomaly. One of the key breakthroughs of the mission was its ability to compress 400 MB of raw imagery down to under 1.5 MB within 10 minutes, optimizing transmission during bandwidth-constrained downlink sessions.
Singh emphasized, “Our sensor stack and signal processing pipeline are proven—working in relentless field and space conditions—so we’re poised to truly scale.”
Built In-House, End-to-End
In a notable shift, GalaxEye plans to design, manufacture, and integrate this second satellite entirely in-house—marking a departure from its earlier reliance on external partnerships.
“This is no longer about payloads—we’re building full systems, end to end,” Singh stated. This move reflects the company’s expanding vertical capabilities and is particularly aligned with the needs of national security clients demanding autonomy and sovereignty in space systems.
Strategic Scale-Up
Having raised $22 million across six funding rounds, with a substantial investment from Infosys, the company is targeting a late 2026 to early 2027 launch window for its next satellite. This milestone aligns with GalaxEye’s long-term goal to deploy a constellation of micro-satellites by 2027, allowing for persistent revisit cycles and near-continuous Earth observation.
The startup is currently ramping up manufacturing capabilities and undergoing preliminary design and mission reviews, indicating a strong push toward scale. GalaxEye is also expanding its global footprint, with entry plans into the U.S., West Asia, and European markets, where geospatial data demand is surging.
Strong Investor Confidence
Investor Speciale Invest, which backed GalaxEye early on, sees this development as a turning point. “We’ve believed in this mission from the outset. With technology de-risked, it’s time to scale,” noted Managing Partner Vishesh Rajaram.
The startup’s unique ability to serve both commercial and defence sectors gives it a dual-use edge—supporting government missions while enabling private-sector innovation in precision farming, urban planning, and climate resilience.
Positioned Among Global Heavyweights
GalaxEye is part of a rapidly growing Indian private space ecosystem, entering a competitive landscape alongside global players such as Planet Labs, ICEYE, Maxar, and Capella. However, the startup sets itself apart with its fusion-based payload—offering unmatched reliability and consistency under diverse weather and lighting conditions.
It also benefits from robust domestic partnerships, with a founding team emerging from IIT-Madras, long-term backing from Infosys, and access to ISRO testing and validation infrastructure. These synergies bolster its ability to offer India-manufactured, globally competitive Earth observation solutions.
From Snapshot to Symphony
GalaxEye’s long-term vision goes beyond capturing high-resolution images—it aims to deliver intelligence-grade analytics in near real-time. The company’s focus spans a wide range of applications, from tracking urban floods and monitoring forest degradation to observing naval activity in geopolitically sensitive zones.
“Our vision is to provide reliable service-level guarantees—consistent, all-weather imagery—on demand. That’s the game changer,” Singh explained.
Road Ahead: Opportunities and Challenges
While scaling to a full-fledged constellation poses challenges—requiring significant capital, regulatory clearance, and global partnerships—GalaxEye’s vertically integrated model, proven tech, and strategic backing put it on strong footing.
Its business model will center around Service Level Agreements (SLAs), offering clients predictable access to data with defined metrics for revisit frequency, resolution, and uptime, even under adverse weather or during emergencies.
Final Word
As the world races for faster, sharper, and more reliable Earth observation data, GalaxEye is carving a niche through innovation, autonomy, and mission-grade reliability. With its maiden satellite Drishti awaiting launch later this year aboard a SpaceX mission, the momentum is strong.
Should Drishti succeed in its in-orbit validation, the road to a second satellite with sharper resolution and a multi-satellite constellation could firmly position GalaxEye as a leader in the global “data from space” revolution.
