KaleidEO Space Systems, a Bengaluru-based startup and subsidiary of SatSure Analytics India Pvt Ltd, has achieved a significant milestone in the field of Earth observation (EO) technology. The company announced the successful aerial testing of its high-performance optical and multi-spectral EO payload, marking a groundbreaking achievement in the private Indian space sector.
The milestone makes KaleidEO one of the first private Indian companies to design and develop a high-resolution optical EO payload. The prototype test, conducted aboard an aircraft over the UK and Austria in collaboration with the Global Assistant & Logistic Group, aimed to assess the functionality and stability of the payload in a real-world environment.
The prototype payload, equipped with image scanning abilities in five bands (red, blue, green, near-infrared, red-edge), captured images at an impressive 16 centimeters spatial resolution. The satellite version of this payload is expected to capture images globally at 1 meter resolution and a 65-kilometer swath. This capability will be disruptive, enabling applications in agriculture, urban planning, monitoring critical infrastructure assets, and fulfilling strategic planning needs of governments.
KaleidEO’s payload utilizes motion compensation and pixel shift methodology for super-resolving captured images, similar to techniques used in smartphones but applied in this case to image moving objects at speeds of 7 km/s from orbit.
Akash Yalgach, Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at KaleidEO, expressed excitement about the successful test, stating, “With this milestone, KaleidEO has become one of the very few companies capable of developing EO payloads and imaging technologies. The success has given our team confidence for our 4-satellite fleet mission slated for 2026. We hope that our efforts will bolster Earth imaging capabilities, ushering in an era of space-based innovation from India.”
Earlier plans to test the payload on a satellite demonstrator were revised in favor of high-quality aircraft testing, deemed more time and cost-effective. This success puts KaleidEO on track to unveil a commercial version of the payload for deployment on satellites. The technology will be integrated into a fleet of four satellites orbiting at a very low Earth orbit of 380 km, with an anticipated launch in the third quarter of 2026. This initiative represents a significant step forward for India’s private space sector growth, supported by government policy pushes.
KaleidEO’s founding team comprises young ex-ISRO scientists and was established by deeptech firm SatSure, which closed a Series A round of $15 million in equity capital last year, led by Baring Private Equity Partners (BPEP), India, and Promus Ventures. SatSure’s strategic investors include HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, ADB Ventures, and Transunion, making it an anchor-tenant customer for KaleidEO’s fleet of high-resolution satellite imagery.
Prateep Basu, Founder & CEO of SatSure & KaleidEO, highlighted the company’s mission to democratize access to high-quality, affordable satellite imagery. He stated, “High-quality, affordable satellite imagery is still a myth, but at KaleidEO, we are going to be breaking barriers by democratizing access to such data for users in India and other developing countries through cutting-edge hardware innovation.”
