The Technology Development Board (TDB) under the Department of Science & Technology (DST) has signed an agreement with Bengaluru-based GalaxEye Space Solutions Private Limited to provide Rs 63.84 crore in financial support under the Government’s Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund.

The project has a total approved cost of Rs 247.69 crore and aims to develop a next-generation multisensor satellite capable of high-resolution sub-0.5 metre OptoSAR imaging. The financial support will be provided through Optionally Convertible Debentures (OCD).

GalaxEye’s technology combines Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) with Electro-Optical (EO) imaging, bringing together two complementary methods of Earth observation.

While EO systems can deliver detailed visual imagery, their performance can be affected by cloud cover and the availability of daylight. SAR technology can operate in both day and night conditions and can capture imagery through cloud cover. Combining data from the two systems is intended to provide a more comprehensive and consistent view of the Earth.

The proposed satellite is designed to deliver high-resolution imaging below 0.5 metre and could support applications such as wide-area surveillance, long-range monitoring, human and vehicle detection, and target classification across varying weather and lighting conditions.

The RDI funding will support further technology development, engineering, testing and validation, helping GalaxEye advance the technology from Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6 to TRL 9, the stage associated with technology being demonstrated in an operational environment.

TDB Secretary Rajesh Kumar Pathak said the initiative reflects the board’s focus on strengthening indigenous capabilities in emerging space technologies and helping technology-intensive projects progress towards deployment and commercialisation.

GalaxEye said the funding would accelerate the development and validation of its OptoSAR technology and support its transition towards TRL-9 and eventual deployment.