GalaxEye to launch AI-powered OptoSAR satellite Drishti

BENGALURU: Artificial intelligence (AI) will sit at the core of a new Indian Earth observation satellite planned for launch in 2026, with much of the data processing set to take place in orbit rather than on the ground.Bengaluru-based GalaxEye Wednesday announced that its upcoming Mission Drishti satellite will be powered by Nvidia’s Jetson Orin platform, enabling onboard AI analytics. The system is designed to analyse imagery in space and transmit processed insights, reducing the time between capture and decision-making for users on the ground.Drishti will also carry what the company calls the world’s first “SyncFused OptoSAR” payload, combining electro-optical and synthetic aperture radar sensors on a single spacecraft. “Optical imaging delivers high-resolution visual detail but struggles in low light and cloudy conditions. Radar, by contrast, operates day and night and can see through cloud cover, though its images require specialised interpretation. By synchronising and fusing both data streams, the satellite aims to deliver consistent, all-weather intelligence,” the firm said.The integration of AI with dual-sensor imaging is intended to serve defence, disaster response and commercial applications. Military users could benefit from faster situational awareness, the firm said, adding that civil authorities may use it for flood mapping, cyclone assessment and landslide monitoring. Commercial sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure and urban planning are also potential customers.“Unlike traditional missions that rely heavily on ground-based processing, the onboard AI approach seeks to cut bandwidth demands and speed up actionable outputs. GalaxEye says this model reflects a shift from raw data supply to intelligence delivery,” GalaxEye said.As reported first by TOI, the firm last week signed a channel partnership agreement with Space PSU NewSpace India Limited (Nsil), marking the first time the State-owned company has partnered with a domestic private player to distribute satellite data.Under the agreement, Nsil will resell high-resolution OptoSAR data generated by GalaxEye’s own satellites. GalaxEye’s upcoming spacecraft will be folded into what the founder described as a “virtual constellation”, allowing Nsil to plug data gaps in its current offerings.“Nsil will resell our data. From now on, whatever satellites we launch, Nsil becomes a reseller for that data,” GalaxEye co-founder and CEO Suyash Singh told TOI.The first satellite — “Drishti” — in GalaxEye’s planned 10-satellite constellation is scheduled to leave for launch on Feb 25. The company plans to deploy all 10 spacecraft over the next four years. The current agreement is structured to cover the entire planned constellation, meaning Nsil can distribute data from each satellite as it comes online.