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Pixxel becomes first Indian space startup to secure NASA contract

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Homegrown spacetech startup Pixxel has won the largest supplier deal by an Indian company from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). It has become part of NASA’s $476-million commercial smallsat data acquisition program. This is the first deal by an Indian startup. Pixxel will provide NASA, the US government and academic partners with hyperspectral earth observation data. This will further empower the administration’s earth science research and application activities. Founded by Awais Ahmed and Kshitij Khandelwal, Pixxel is developing hyperspectral imagery satellites, which take a spectrum of light and divides it into hundreds of narrow spectral bands so one can better understand and discern anything on the planet. In February this year, Pixxel unveiled the first set of hyperspectral images from its satellites, capturing intricate details of the land and water features of regions such as Krishna River Delta (India), Palm Islands (Dubai), Super pit (Australia), Saloum River Delta (Senegal), Granny Smith Gold Mine (Australia) and Brockman (Australia). In April 2022, Elon Musk’s SpaceX rocket carried a low-orbit imaging satellite developed by Pixxel. The Bengaluru-based startup has so far worked with several prominent space agencies, including ISRO and NASA. Pixxel raised $36 million in a series B funding round in June last year from Google and others.