New Delhi: Last month, IN-SPACe, the single window clearing agency for all space operations from India announced that it had tapped New Space startups across the country to develop indigenous satellite buses, including Astrome, Dhruva Space and Azista. Manastu Space has revealed one of the selected proposals, was jointly developed by Astrome, TakeMe2Space and Manastu Space, to develop a 150kg-class indigenous Satellite Bus as a Service (SBaaS) platform. This is a modular satellite bus that can be adapted to various missions, and has the capabilities of hosting multiple payloads.
Manastu Space is developing the satellite bus, while TakeMe2Space is building the bus subsystems. The platform is called GATISat, and will be integrated with the state-of-the-art communications systems by Astrome. The satellite will use green propulsion technology developed by Manastu Space. IN-SPACe proposed the SBaaS programme last year to provide a small satellite bus for hosted payloads, which is a cost-effective way for multiple users to share a single platform, to demonstrate their technologies and gain flight heritage to attract customers. Such a satellite bus allows new space startups across the country to validate their systems and provide affordable, reliable access to space.
How to use a satellite Bus
A satellite bus has the potential to reduce cost via standardised, modular platforms, that shortens time-to-orbit from years to months, lowers entry barriers for developers of payloads, especially for new space startups, and allows for orbital validation and demonstration of a wide variety of payloads, including Earth observation, communication, IOT and edge computing applications. Indigenously developing satellite buses reduces reliance on imports. The New Space startups have the capabilities of integrating payloads into the buses, handle integration and testing, operate the satellite, deliver data and services, and arrange for the launches as well. Manastu Space has also revealed that it is providing Dhruva Space with propulsion for an independent mission.