Bengaluru firm building 'space taxi' for satellites

Bengaluru-based startup Bellatrix Aerospace is developing a ‘space taxi’, an orbital transfer vehicle (OTV) that will transport small satellites into multiple orbits, a pioneering break from convention.

The OTV will be launched in 2023 on the upper stage of the Vikram rocket being developed by Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace. The vehicle is expected to reduce the cost of access to space for communication and earth observation satellites.

To get to space, small satellites are often tagged onto a bigger one. But if their orbit is different from the larger satellite, they have to burn fuel to reach the intended orbit.

An OTV capable of working with multiple orbits can change this. Bellatrix co-founder Yashas Karanam told DH: “The OTV is like a bigger satellite taking smaller ones to different orbits. Very small satellites normally go where the primary payload goes. Sometimes they don’t get suitable orbit slots. The OTV will help place the satellite in a precise orbit while sharing a ride with other payloads.”

Bellatrix Aerospace CEO Rohan Muralidhar says: “The increasing demand for timely satellite constellation deployment in different orbits and on rideshare missions has not only made OTVs attractive but also necessary.”

With its lab in the Indian Institute of Science, Bellatrix had signed an MoU with Dhruva Space to work on joint space missions. Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone had invested in Bellatrix through KA Enterprises.