Kerala launches Facilitation Centre ‘STADE’ in Trivandrum

Kerala Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan launched Space Technology Application Development Ecosystem (STADE) in Trivandrum on Wednesday. Reported as a project of the Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM), ‘STADE’ aims a facilitation center for companies and startups that define space data analytics and development of space-tech components. STADE is also backed by Indian space agency ISRO’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Center and Airbus Bizlab, that is a global aerospace business accelerator of Airbus. According to the government, Airbus acknowledged for an ‘ecosystem partnership’ together, for the STADE project. Furthermore, French space agency CNES coupled with the European Space Agency (ESA) and are now in a progressive stage of discussions for stabilising more similar partnerships with STADE. Formulating ahead, STADE also even developed and strengthened three startups working in space tech arena, namely: Satsure, Bellatrix and Agnikul.

Satsure was founded by Indians, is headquartered in London and has offices in Dubai, Bangalore, and Zurich. This startup is a creative gigantic platform analytics startup, that jumps on to advances in satellites, machine learning and big data analytics to stock up answers to large area problems and issues beyond multiple domains such as agriculture, insurance, forestry, irrigation, cities, environment and Oil & Gas.

Bellatrix Aerospace, further enhanced and grew a satellite propulsion technology to drop the cost of space mission and improve, making it affordable to all. The startup also committed the Launch Vehicles, for Nano-Satellites and In-Space Propulsion Systems to enhance the lifetime in orbit. It has fostered an electric propulsion system called “Microwave Electro-thermal Thruster (MET)” and then claimed that MET is more efficient than traditional chemical thrusters as it renders a more advanced ‘mileage’ and continues for a longer duration.

Furthermore, Chennai-based Agnkul Cosmos design, manufactures, tests and launches orbital class rockets for micro and nano satellites. The startup now, presently functions out of the National Center for Combustion R&D at IIT-Madras.