GalaxEye tests SAR sensor tech on NAL’s pseudo-satellite

Bengaluru: Bengaluru-based space technology startup GalaxEye announced on Tuesday the successful testing of its Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) technology on a subscale High Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (HAPS) developed by the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL).

The company called the SAR trials the first by a private entity on a HAPS platform.

HAPS systems operate from the stratosphere like high-flying drones. They are enabled for prolonged periods of aerial surveillance by solar energy and advanced battery systems. SAR comes with the advantage of all-weather, all-time imaging capabilities that make the technology superior to the ones used in traditional electro-optical cameras that are not equipped to address challenges posed by cloud cover.

The trials take forward a collaboration between NAL and GalaxEye for developing, integrating, and testing SAR payloads for HAPS.

Suyash Singh, co-founder and CEO of GalaxEye Space, said in an official statement that the rigorous test flights provided “invaluable insights” and paved the way for further R&D endeavours.

Globally, SAR technology for HAPS has been limited in its operational applications. The success of the NAL-GalaxEye partnership could help augment India’s defence capabilities with indigenous technological prowess, Singh said.

“Beyond its implications for defence operations, SAR holds immense potential for environmental monitoring and disaster management,” he said.

A spokesperson of NAL said the organisation’s focus was on optimising SAR technology with low SWaP (Size, Weight, and Power) characteristics. “While the initial tests are encouraging, a series of further tests will be necessary before these platforms can be deployed for practical applications,” the spokesperson said.

In 2023, the IIT Madras-incubated GalaxEye accomplished radar imaging through Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, as part of a collaboration with organisations including the Indian Space Research Organisation and the Defence Research and Development Organisation.