Bengaluru Startup Bellatrix Charts India's Space Future

When Yashas Karanam and Rohan Ganapathy started building electric satellite engines as students in 2015, India's space sector was almost entirely controlled by ISRO and its vendors. Today, their company Bellatrix Aerospace is preparing to launch its own satellite and supplying propulsion systems to clients worldwide.

The Bengaluru firm will launch its first Very Low Earth Orbit satellite in 2028, carrying a 40-kilogram camera payload from Indian soil. This micro-satellite represents a major milestone in India's growing private space industry, proving that homegrown startups can develop complete orbital capabilities.

Bellatrix solved a problem that seemed impossible a decade ago: building satellite engines entirely in India. Europe had subsystem suppliers, the US had component manufacturers, but India had nothing. Since the country wasn't part of the Missile Technology Control Regime at the time, importing critical materials was restricted.

The team built everything from scratch, creating India's first domestic supply chain for satellite propulsion. Their engines must survive 15 years in space without maintenance, endure radiation, and operate for over 10,000 hours while handling extreme temperatures.

The company now offers two product lines serving multiple functions: helping satellites change orbits, avoiding space debris collisions, and safely deorbiting at end of life. What sets them apart is replacing toxic rocket fuels with greener alternatives like hydroxylammonium nitrate, making satellite operations safer and more flexible.

Bellatrix serves 5 to 10 global and Indian clients in weather monitoring, broadcasting, GPS navigation, and defense. They've signed partnerships with Astroscale Japan for space sustainability, established a US subsidiary in Delaware, and recently partnered with Bharat Electronics Limited to support indigenous space capabilities.

The Ripple Effect

India's space technology industry is projected to explode from $8 billion to $44 billion by 2033. The country aims to increase its share of the global $470 billion space economy from 2% to 20%, creating thousands of jobs and establishing India as a major player in commercial space.

Bellatrix is building a 5-acre manufacturing facility at the aerospace zone in Devanahalli, expected to be ready in 18 months. This expansion will scale production tenfold, from 80-100 propulsion systems annually to supporting India's rapidly growing satellite industry.

The startup has raised $11.3 million in Series A funding, largely from Inflexor Ventures and BASF Venture Capital, with plans for more rounds as they expand. Their success proves that Indian startups can compete in the most technically demanding industries when given the chance.

Once Bellatrix proves its satellite technology in orbit, the team plans to develop new applications around it, potentially opening entirely new markets. A decade after starting in a student lab, they're charting the roadmap for India's space-faring future.