Indian Startup Builds Homegrown Space Cameras After Setback

Three scientists who spent years perfecting the tiny cameras that photograph the human eye just proved those same skills can help India see the world from space.

Sanjay Kumar, Punit Badeka, and Manoj Kumar Gaddam spent 17 years building ultra-precise optics for eye hospitals in Hyderabad. In 2022, they noticed something striking: India was importing nearly all its high-resolution satellite cameras, creating costly delays and strategic vulnerabilities for the growing space sector.

They founded EON Space Labs to change that equation. Their flagship product, MIRA, uses a single piece of fused silica glass instead of multiple lenses stacked together. That design survives the bone-rattling vibrations of rocket launches while staying small enough to fit inside a shoebox-sized satellite.

"High-resolution imaging is one of the hardest proving grounds for compact optics," Kumar explains. "If a startup can produce a commercially viable space-grade imager here in India, it can scale for defense and commercial markets worldwide."

The team of 17 engineers partnered with Bengaluru manufacturer HHV Advanced Technologies for optics production and built AI-powered testing labs in Hyderabad. Their first satellite, MOI-1, launched aboard an Indian rocket earlier this month but was lost when the mission encountered a technical problem during flight.

Why This Inspires

Instead of stepping back, EON is pushing forward. Kumar says space missions carry inherent risks, and setbacks build stronger industries. The team already has their second MIRA camera ready for a 2026 launch window.

Meanwhile, their ground-based systems are already working. The Indian Navy installed EON's Buho 225 surveillance camera at Vizag Port, where it tracks ships 10 kilometers away using AI-trained software. Defense contractor Kepler Aerospace ordered MIRA variants for a six-satellite intelligence constellation.

The global space economy could balloon from $596 billion to $1.8 trillion by 2035, with India positioned to capture 8% of that market instead of its current 2%. EON raised $1.2 million this year to scale production across space, aerial, and ground platforms.

Kumar notes that as of 2023, India operated just 24 active Earth observation satellites. Homegrown imaging technology means faster data delivery, lower costs per image, and domestic control over critical hardware that powers everything from weather forecasting to border security.

The startup's export-ready approach is already generating recurring orders for the next three years, proving that precision born in eye clinics can help an entire nation see farther.