OrbitAID Secures $1.5 Million Pre-Seed Funding for Space Refueling Innovations

Tamil Nadu-based spacetech startup OrbitAID Aerospace has raised $1.5 million in a pre-seed funding round led by Unicorn India Ventures, with additional participation from the Tamil Nadu Startup and Innovation Mission (TANSIM). 

The funds will be used to advance on-orbit servicing technologies, including in-space demonstrations of docking and refuelling, and to scale the company’s patented Standard Interface Docking and Refueling Port (SIDRP) to be ready commercially.

Nikhil Balasubramanian, co-founder and COO, said, “The upcoming in-orbit demonstration will showcase our team’s dedication to advancing sustainable and efficient satellite servicing solutions.”

The startup plans to conduct in-orbit demonstrations in the next 12 months and aims to achieve technology readiness level (TRL) 6 for its refuelable propulsion system. These milestones will validate the commercial viability of its technology and support future contracts with government and private space organisations.

Over the past year, OrbitAID achieved TRL 7 for docking and refuelling, completed microgravity testing, and secured strategic partnerships. 

Commenting on the funding, Bhaskar Majumdar, managing partner of Unicorn India Ventures, said, “We believe innovative businesses in space tech will drive India’s global dominance in this sector. This funding will help expand on-orbit servicing capabilities.”

This sentiment was also reciprocated by Sakthikumar R, founder and CEO of OrbitAID Aerospace.

According to projections by the All India Association of Industries, India’s aerospace and defence market could reach $70 billion by 2030. OrbitAID is poised to capitalise on significant opportunities in this growing sector.

Previously…

Around ten months ago, the company also announced that it had secured a $540,000 pre-seed fund with support from the Tamil Nadu government, StartupTN, and TANSIM. 

The state’s initiatives, including a new spaceport, an industrial hub for space manufacturing, and a propellant park, underscore its commitment to establishing itself as a leader in aerospace and sustainability.

In its announcement, OrbitAID highlighted its collaboration with organisations such as ISRO, TIDCO, and IN-SPACe and emphasised the company’s role in driving innovation and sustainable space operations. 

The company expressed gratitude to its supporters and partners, including industry associations, research institutions, and startups, who have contributed to its progress. 

OrbitAID, founded in 2021 by Sakthikumar R, Nikhil Balasubramanian, and Mano K, is developing a network of fuel stations in space to extend satellite lifespans and reduce space debris. 

Its SIDRP technology, successfully tested in zero-gravity conditions, enables seamless satellite servicing and aims to transform sustainable space operations.

In the domain of reducing space debris, ISRO is making big achievements as well. As part of the organisation’s recent SpaDeX (Space Docking Experiment) mission, it launched the ‘Debris Capture Robotic Manipulator’. 

Demonstrating tethered debris capture in space using visual servoing, motion prediction, and a parallel end-effector for precise manipulation. 🚀 #SpaceTech #Robotics #ISRO pic.twitter.com/TJSa4C06VB

Developed by ISRO’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), the experiment focused on demonstrating the capability to capture tethered debris in space using visual servoing and object motion prediction. 

Following the successful demonstration of this experiment, the manipulator will be further refined to capture free-floating debris and perform critical tasks such as refuelling both tethered and free-floating spacecraft.