Dhruva Space receives authorisation from IN-SPACe for ground station as a service (GSaaS)

Dhruva Space, a full-stack Space Engineering solutions provider based in Hyderabad, is pleased to announce that it has been granted authorisation by the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Center (IN-SPACe) to provide Ground Stations as a Service (GSaaS). This milestone achievement marks a fortification of Dhruva Space’s Ground segment offerings as well as significant advancement in the company’s ability to commercially support a wide range of Space missions efficiently and effectively.

Till date, Dhruva Space has indigenously designed and developed six Ground Stations in VHF and UHF bands, two Ground Stations in S and/or X bands. In 2021, Dhruva Space initiated internal research and development by establishing its S&X Ground Station at IIT-Hyderabad, now a cornerstone of the company’s Ground segment solutions. This facility will play a pivotal role in supporting Dhruva Space’s upcoming LEAP-1 hosted payload mission scheduled for later in 2024. Dhruva Space is also in conversations with several global Ground Station operators to expand its now India-based network to a global network of Earth Stations providing unfettered access to operate satellites from anywhere in the world, and vice-versa.

GSaaS as a Solution

• Currently in India, setting up Ground Stations involves high upfront operational costs, whereas access to GSaaS provides cost-effective access to shared Ground Station infrastructure, reducing financial barriers for satellite operators.
• GSaaS in Equatorial regions with low Earth inclination orbits offer extended satellite visibility, reduced latency, and enhanced signal reliability due to minimal atmospheric interference. Cost-effective and strategically positioned, they optimise global satellite operations for missions ranging from Telecommunications to Remote Sensing, ensuring efficient data transmission and operational flexibility. India’s strategic geographical location also enhances GSaaS support for launch vehicle activities.
• In India, there is also limited access to advanced Ground Station technology and expertise, so GSaaS democratises access to state-of-the-art Ground Station services, allowing emerging private companies to utilise high-quality infrastructure.
• Another critical issue faced is there is difficulty in scaling Ground Station capabilities based on a given mission needs; to strategically address this, Dhruva Space’s mission-agnostic approach offers GSaaS with a flexible service model, enabling satellite operators to adjust their Ground Station resources as needed, thereby enhancing operational ability.
• GSaaS resolves global access challenges to Ground Stations while providing essential mission operations services for direct delivery of mission-critical data to designated platforms.

That said, the IN-SPACe authorisation empowers Dhruva Space to offer critical ground support, enabling real-time satellite communication and control. This commercial capability ensures reliable data transmission, enhances mission flexibility, and reduces operational costs. Additionally, this GSaaS authorisation fosters innovation by providing startups access to advanced Ground Station facilities, accelerating research and development, and focusing resources on mission objectives. Furthermore, Dhruva Space’s established track record in low-bit rate connectivity missions will give a significant advantage to this GSaaS offering.

Observing this milestone, Sanjay Nekkanti, Chief Executive Officer, Dhruva Space, says, “In the upcoming decade, significant transformations in Space interaction are anticipated, with GSaaS poised to play a pivotal role in this evolution. Dhruva Space is excited to receive authorisation from IN-SPACe for our Ground Station as a Service initiative across India. This milestone not only underscores our commitment to advancing Space Technology but also reinforces our role in supporting the growing number of Space startups aiming to validate their spacecraft in orbit. We are proud to share that our GSaaS is designed to support an increasingly democratised Space sector so commercial ventures and global communications can continue to flourish.”

Dhruva Space remains dedicated to pioneering innovative solutions that drive the future of Space exploration. With GSaaS now authorised as a commercial service, the company is poised to play a crucial role in shaping the next generation of Space missions and satellite communications.
BCS Bureau