Aule Space Nets $2 Mn To Develop In-Orbit Satellite Servicing Tech

Spacetech startup Aule Space has raised $2 Mn (about INR 18 Cr) in a pre-seed funding round led by deeptech focussed VC firm pi Ventures, with participation from angel investors including Tonbo Imaging CEO Arvind Lakshmikumar and Intelsat’s former board member Eash Sundaram. 

With the fresh capital, Aule Space plans to expand its engineering team, build ground-based docking and testing infrastructure and develop its first demonstration satellite, which is scheduled for launch next year. The demonstration will serve as a proof point for its docking tech, the startup said in a statement.

Founded in 2024 by Jay Panchal, Nithyaa Giri and Hrishit Tambi, Aule Space is building autonomous satellites that can dock with and service other satellites already in orbit. These would attach themselves to existing satellites and act as a new propulsion system to keep them operational for longer.

As per the startup, satellites deployed in the geostationary orbit worth over $100 Bn are expected to stop generating revenue due to fuel depletion. Aule claims its jetpack satellites can extend the life of these assets by up to six years by maintaining their orbital position.

“There is no servicing infrastructure in space today. If a $300-500 Mn satellite runs out of fuel, it is simply discarded even though its electronics can work for years more. We are trying to change that,” Panchal said. 

The startup is initially targeting geostationary communication (GEO) satellites, which are among the most expensive and revenue-generating assets in space. These satellites tend to have a similar structure, allowing Aule to design a common docking mechanism that works across most of them.

Aule’s core capability lies in rendezvous, proximity operations and docking (RPOD), the ability for one satellite to safely approach, maneuver around and physically attach to another object in space. 

Beyond commercial use cases, the startup is also seeing defence interest in its tech, particularly for satellite inspection and space security.

Aule Space has also received early-stage support from India’s space ecosystem, including seed funding of around INR 80 Lakh from IN-SPACe. 

The startup also expects its first in-orbit demonstration to act as a gateway to commercial contracts and plans to raise a larger funding round of around $5 Mn to scale future missions.

“We want to show that India can build this capability end to end,” Panchal said. “Once that happens, the in-orbit economy becomes very real.”