Space tech startup Pixxel inaugurates 30,000 sq ft satellite manufacturing facility in Bengaluru

ISRO chairman S Somanath with Pixxel CEO Awais Ahmed at the inauguration of the startup's new satellite manufacturing facility in Bengaluru on January 15

Bengaluru-based space tech startup Pixxel on January 15 inaugurated in Bengaluru its 30,000 sq ft spacecraft manufacturing facility “MegaPixxel” that will have the capability to manufacture 40 large satellites in a year.

The new facility will have the capability to undertake satellite manufacturing services, spacecraft assembly, integration and testing (AIT) under one roof.

At full capacity, the facility will be equipped to handle more than twenty satellites simultaneously that can be turned around within a timeframe of six months, making a total capacity of forty large satellites per year possible.

Indian Space Research Organisation chairman S Somanath inaugurated the facility.

In the facility, Pixxel aims to design its hyperspectral satellites from scratch, manufacture, integrate, and test them for launch conditions before shipping them to the launch site.

Commenting on the launch, Awais Ahmed, CEO, Pixxel said, “By increasing our capacity to build more satellites, we will deliver even more critical data to our customers faster so they can make informed decisions and address the needs of key industries such as agriculture, energy, forestry, and environmental monitoring.”

The facility has two modern clean rooms of ISO Class 7 and ISO Class 8 that safeguard against contaminants that could impair satellite functionality during the satellite assembly and integration process.

Additionally, it also houses labs for advanced camera integration, electronics R&D, and electrical assembly; along with a mechanical workshop, a mission control room, and an office space that can accommodate more than 200 employees.

Pixxel’s facility will also feature a wastewater treatment plant to help conserve water and reduce water dependency as well as smart heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to further enhance energy efficiency and minimize carbon footprint.