Indian space sector startup Azista BST Aerospace Pvt Ltd's first remote sensing satellite ABA First Runner (AFR) was successfully orbited by SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket.
According to SpaceX, the rocket on a dedicated rideshare mission carried 72 spacecraft that includes CubeSats, MicroSats and others and one of them was the Ahmedabad-based Azista BST Aerospace's 80 kg satellite AFR.
Azista BST Aerospace is an Indo-German satellite manufacturing joint venture floated by India's Azista Industries Pvt. Ltd (holding 70 per cent stake) and Berlin Space Technologies GmbH (holding 30 per cent stake).
"Currently the company is funded by Azista Industries. We are not for venture capital funding. We have a long term outlook in business," Sunil Indurti, Director had told IANS.
The AFR will provide a panchromatic image with five metre resolution with a Swath of 70km.
According to Bharath Simha Reddy P., Business Development Manager, the company has potential customers -- in strategic and agriculture sectors -- for the data to be acquired from the first satellite and as well as analytics. Most of the customers are located in SouthEast Asia and other parts, including India.
"In the next two/three years, there will be three/four missions to demonstrate our satellite payloads," Bharath Simha Reddy had told IANS recently.
An engineering graduate from the famed College of Engineering, Guindy in Chennai Indurti got into the space sector after founding and exiting an ice cream parlour chain in Hyderabad.
"My ambition during the college days was to build a national brand," Indurti said.
Soon after exiting the ice cream venture, Indurti met Srinivas Reddy Male, Managing Director and a Director with pharma company Hetero and both decided to get into satellite manufacturing.
"We initially started as a vendor for Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and set up a factory in Ahmedabad in Gujarat. We have also set up weather stations for DRDO and others," Indurti said.
According to Bharath Simha Reddy, the company's target is to make about 100 satellites per year that would weigh between 50-200 kg.
Tripura CM Saha holds key meeting with BJP, IPFT and TMP leaders
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Friday held an "important" meeting between the leaders of ruling BJP and its two allies – Tipra Motha Party (TMP) and Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) and discussed various political and developmental issue, sources said.
HM Amit Shah's meeting sends a clear message: Not a drop of water to Pakistan
A high-level meeting was held on Friday at the residence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. The 45-minute meeting between the Home Minister and Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil focused on exploring ways to halt the flow of water to Pakistan.
Tripura: TMP chief urges Centre to adopt 'stronger policy' against B'desh
Ruling BJP’s ally Tipra Motha Party (TMP) founder-chief Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma on Friday urged the Central government to adopt a stronger policy stance towards Bangladesh, accusing the neighbouring country of encouraging fundamentalist forces targeting Hindu minorities.
Pahalgam attack: More countries express solidarity with India, offer support in fight against terrorism
Ambassadors of Israel, Egypt, Argentina, and Nepal met External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar in New Delhi on Friday, expressing solidarity with India in its fight against terrorism following the heinous terror attack in Pahalgam.
Tripura CM directs SPs and DMs to remain vigilant about Pakistani nationals
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Friday directed the Superintendents of Police (SPs) of all eight districts to regularly share necessary inputs with the Chief Minister’s Secretariat regarding the presence of any Pakistani nationals in the state, officials said.
US supports India's 'hunt' for those behind 'horrific Islamist terrorist attack' in Pahalgam, says Gabbard
Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence (DNI), on Friday said that the United States supports India's "hunt" for the perpetrators of the "horrific Islamist terrorist attack" in Pahalgam that took place earlier this week.
Tehran stands ready to 'forge greater understanding' between India and Pakistan: Iran FM Araghchi
Citing its good relations with both India and Pakistan, Iran on Friday said that it stands ready to "forge greater understanding" between New Delhi and Islamabad following the Pahalgam terror attack, earlier this week.
PM Modi's action will act as deterrent against any fresh attempts to harm India: Tripura CM
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Friday denounced the Pahalgam terror attack, asserting his staunch belief that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decisive action will act as a strong deterrent against any future attempts by terrorists to harm India.