Spacetech startup Pixxel becomes first Indian space startup to secure NASA contract

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) largest supplier deal for an Indian company went to Pixxel, a homegrown spacetech startup.

It is now a part of NASA’s commercial smallsat data acquisition program, which is valued at $476 million. This is the Indian startup’s first deal.

Pixxel will supply hyperspectral earth observation data to NASA, the US government, and academic partners. This will strengthen the administration’s efforts in earth science application and research.

Pixxel, founded by Awais Ahmed and Kshitij Khandelwal, is creating hyperspectral imagery satellites that split a light spectrum into hundreds of narrow spectral bands, improving one’s ability to see and understand objects on Earth.

Earlier this year, in February, Pixxel released the first collection of hyperspectral photos taken by its satellites. These images captured minute details of the land and sea features in places like the Granny Smith Gold Mine in Australia, the Saloum River Delta in Senegal, the Palm Islands in Dubai, the Krishna River Delta in India, and Brockman in Australia.

A low-orbit imaging satellite created by Pixxel was launched by Elon Musk’s SpaceX rocket in April 2022. Thus far, the startup from Bengaluru has collaborated with a number of well-known space agencies, such as NASA and ISRO.

In a series B funding round that Pixxel held in June of last year, Google and other investors contributed $36 million.