Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX), the flagship initiative of the Ministry of Defence, signed the landmark 350th contract in New Delhi with SpacePixxel Technologies Pvt Ltd for the design and development of a ‘Miniaturised satellite capable of carrying Electro-Optical, Infrared, Synthetic Aperture Radar, and Hyperspectral payloads up to 150 kgs’. This challenge is being led by the Indian Air Force. The 150th iDEX contract was signed in December 2022, and within a span of 18 months, the 350th contract has been signed.
The contract was exchanged between Additional Secretary (Defence Production) & CEO, Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO) Anurag Bajpai and Founder & CEO of SpacePixxel Technologies Pvt Ltd, Awais Ahmed Nadeem Alduri in the presence of Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane and other senior civil & military officials of the Ministry of Defence. SpacePixxel has been actively working to build and launch high-resolution hyperspectral imaging satellites to provide detailed earth observation data.
This 350th iDEX contract enables innovation in space electronics, wherein many payloads earlier deployed on dedicated large satellites are now being miniaturised. The modular small satellite will integrate multiple miniaturised payloads as per requirement, providing advantages like faster and economical deployment, ease of manufacturing, scalability, adaptability, and less environmental impact.
Defence Secretary appreciated the unwavering commitment of new defence innovators for pushing the boundaries of technology and safeguarding the nation. Emphasising the importance of combining indigenisation with innovation, he stated that domestic capabilities provide a foundation for fostering innovation by offering a platform for experimentation and development. Innovation fuels indigenisation by driving the creation of new technologies and solutions that can be produced domestically, he said, assuring all possible support to the innovators at every step.
