Azista BST Aerospace has launched its first satellite, the ABA First Runner (AFR), aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 today (13 June) as part of the Transporter 8 Mission.

Azista BST Aerospace has created a state-of-the-art 50,000ft² facility in Ahmedabad, India capable of supporting the production of two satellites per week. The first satellite, AFR, is an 80kg satellite built on a modular bus platform and hosts a wide-swath optical remote sensing payload with both panchromatic and multispectral imaging capabilities. AFR represents the first satellite of its size and performance built by the private space industry in India, capable of supporting various critical applications for civilian and defence purposes.

Driving a self-reliant India

Azista BST Aerospace is committed to India’s drive towards Atmanirbhar Bharat – which aims to create a self-reliant India based on the five pillars Economy, Infrastructure, System, Demography and Demand – and Make in India initiatives, according to managing director Srinivas Reddy Male. He commented, “The launch of AFR marks an exciting beginning to support the realization of satellite constellations for various applications. Our factory in Ahmedabad is already geared up to produce 10 of these satellites in 2024. We are grateful for the support from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the Indian National Space Authorization Center (IN-SPACe), and the Indian Space Association (ISpA) to help us achieve this major milestone.”

Exciting satellite opportunity

Azista BST Aerospace’s director Sunil Indurti added, “Azista BST Aerospace invites researchers and organizations interested in exploring the use of fresh satellite data for various geospatial applications to get in touch with us and take advantage of this exciting opportunity.”

Azista BST Aerospace is already in the process of realizing the next set of satellites to demonstrate its capabilities with versatile payloads with its modular satellite buses. Several of these satellites will be launched within the next 12-24 months to establish space heritage and solidify vertically integrated production capabilities from India.
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