Dhruva’s Polar Access-1 to enable 10 missions from across India, other countries on Jan 12

BENGALURU: Space engineering firm Dhruva Space Thursday announced Polar Access-1 (PA-1), its most integrated launch programme so far, under which it will support 10 space missions serving multiple Indian states and two countries aboard Isro’s PSLV-DL-C62, scheduled for lift-off at 10.17 am on Jan 12.Billed as a structured pathway to Sun-Synchronous Orbit, PA-1 brings together satellites, separation systems, launch integration and ground operations under a single mission architecture. Dhruva Space co-founder and chief technology officer Abhay Egoor said PA-1 reflects the company’s move towards full-stack space infrastructure, combining satellites, subsystems, launch integration and ground operations, while expanding India’s private space sector footprint.Dhruva Space said the first edition of the programme delivers a coordinated, space-qualified stack of four satellites, five separation systems and multiple operational ground stations, all executed using its in-house satellite platforms, launch vehicle integration systems and Ground-Station-as-a-Service (GSaaS), authorised by IN-SPACe in 2024.“Collectively, the missions address disaster communication, environmental monitoring, education and commercial Earth observation, with applications spanning public institutions, universities and emerging space technology users,” the firm said.

A key feature of PA-1 is its focus on enabling first-time satellite missions. Nepal will fly an Earth observation and technology demonstration satellite developed by the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology and Antarikchya Pratishan Nepal — facilitated through MEA — with a payload focused on vegetation density mapping. Odisha’s first satellite mission CGUSAT-1, developed with CV Raman Global University in Bhubaneswar and built on Dhruva Space’s P-DoT platform, will demonstrate store-and-forward communication relevant for disaster response.

The Northeast will also enter orbit for the first time through LACHIT-1, developed with Assam Don Bosco University. “The mission represents Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura, with Assam Don Bosco University leading the effort,” Dhruva said.Karnataka’s DSAT-1, developed with Dayananda Sagar University in Bengaluru, will focus on two-way amateur-band communications and telemetry, supported by campus-based ground infrastructure.

These university-led missions fall under Dhruva Space’s ASTRA programme for academia, which aims to build long-term state-level space technology capability through hands-on training, on-campus ground stations and operational experience.PA-1 also includes a technology demonstration mission from OrbitAID’s docking and refuelling interface for future on-orbit refuelling. From Gujarat, a 1U satellite developed for a school in Ahmedabad will carry an LED payload simulating an artificial star visible from the city.

Telangana features prominently through THYBOLT-3 (earlier called DR-1), Dhruva’s own satellite, which will demonstrate a satellite-enabled disaster communication network using amateur radio architecture.

The firm’s system will also deploy MOI-1 by TakeMe2Space. Several of the satellites will be accessible to the global amateur radio community. Dhruva said it will conduct training programmes with universities and amateur radio institutions focused on emergency and disaster-response use cases.