ABA First Runner to Launch on SpaceX Transporter 8 Mission
Ahmedabad, India-based Azista BST Aerospace will launch its first satellite, ABA First Runner (AFR), aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in June 2023 as part of the Transporter 8 Mission.
"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,"
Sunil Indurti, Azista BTS Aerospace
Envisioning mass manufacturing of satellites built in India for the global market, Azista BST Aerospace has created a state-of-the-art 50,000-square-foot facility capable of supporting the production of two satellites per week. The first satellite, ABA First Runner, is an 80kg (≈18 pound) satellite built on a modular bus platform and hosts a wide-swath optical remote sensing payload with both panchromatic and multispectral imaging capabilities. AFR First Runner 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 defense purposes.
AFR First Runner will Support Various Applications
Azista BST Aerospace is committed to India's drive towards Atmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives. "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," said Srinivas Reddy Male, Azista BTS Aerospace Managing Director. "We are grateful for the support from the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), the Indian National Space Authorization Center (IN-SPACe), and the Indian Space Association (ISpA) to help us achieve this major milestone."
"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," said Azista BTS Aerospace Director Sunil Indurti.
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.
The SpaceX Transporter 8 mission is scheduled to launch June 11 from Vandenberg SFB in California.
(Source: Azista BTS Aerospace news release. Images provided)