Milestone · Government, Defense & Space

GalaxEye tests payload in South Atlantic Anomaly, a harsh space environment

By Startup Enthusiast · 20 February 2025

What they do

GalaxEye is a spacetech startup based in Bengaluru that develops earth observation satellites

The company tested its GLX-SQ payload in the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA), a region with high radiation and extreme temperatures

Infosys invested ₹17 crore in GalaxEye to develop downstream applications of the data collected from its satellites

GalaxEye, a Bengaluru-based spacetech startup, successfully tested its GLX-SQ payload in the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA), a region known for high radiation and extreme temperatures.
The payload was tested aboard ISRO’s POEM-4 mission, which repurposes the fourth stage of the PSLV rocket for real-time testing of cutting-edge payloads.
The GLX-SQ payload maintained full functionality despite exposure to increased radiation levels and temperatures dropping below -10°C during an eclipse.
The test demonstrated the resilience of GalaxEye’s technology in some of the harshest conditions present in space.
The company plans to launch its Mission Drishti, a multi-sensor earth observation satellite, on Elon Musk’s SpaceX in the coming months.

The South Atlantic Anomaly is an area where Earth’s magnetic field is weaker, resulting in increased radiation exposure and making satellite operations more complex.
Operating in the SAA during an eclipse is a significant challenge for satellite systems, as it can lead to malfunctions.
The GLX-SQ payload demonstrated exceptional performance in this environment, including SAR image capture and processing despite radiation exposure.
The test highlights the robustness of GalaxEye’s technology and India’s growing leadership in space innovation.

GalaxEye is a spacetech startup based in Bengaluru that develops earth observation satellites.
The company is working on Mission Drishti, the world’s first satellite to carry both Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and multispectral imaging (MSI) sensors on a single platform.
Mission Drishti will provide high-resolution, all-weather imagery with a resolution of 1.8 meters, making it the highest-resolution satellite from any private Indian player.
The satellite will be launched on Elon Musk’s SpaceX and will provide round-the-clock, all-weather information for any point on earth.
GalaxEye’s technology combines SAR and optical imagery to deliver analysis-ready data with three times more information than a standalone sensor.

GalaxEye plans to launch its Mission Drishti satellite on Elon Musk’s SpaceX in the coming months.
The satellite will provide high-resolution, all-weather imagery with a resolution of 1.8 meters.

Infosys (investor) — Infosys is a global technology services and consulting company based in India.

Product: OptoSAR satellites combining optical and synthetic aperture radar for all-weather day-and-night Earth observation capabilities
Customers: Government agencies, defense establishments, agriculture, insurance and disaster response sectors globally
How it makes money: B2G and B2B model providing satellite Earth observation data and services
What sets it apart: Proprietary OptoSAR technology enabling weather-agnostic imaging with 66% indigenization and reduced global supply chain dependence
Operations: Vertically integrated satellite design and manufacturing through acquisition of StarOps with in-house engineering capabilities