German startup Vyoma has placed an order for two pilot Satellites from Bulgarian cubesat specialist, EnduroSat. The spacecraft, based on a microsatellite platform weighing between 50-500 kilograms, will be used for Vyoma’s proposed space debris-monitoring constellation. The plan is to launch the satellites to low Earth orbit (LEO) by the end of 2024. The satellites will utilize optical telescopes to track and catalog LEO objects larger than 30 centimeters, supplementing Vyoma’s space situational awareness (SSA) data provided by ground-based sensors.

Vyoma’s ultimate goal is to track objects as small as one centimeter, which is currently not possible in LEO, by using satellites that are unaffected by Earth’s weather and capable of operating in a semi-autonomous surveillance mode. Although the contract with EnduroSat only covers two spacecraft, Vyoma aims to have a constellation of 12 satellites by 2026.

Safran, the French aerospace giant, has participated in Vyoma’s funding round and its electronics and defense subsidiary is exploring the addition of radiofrequency sensors and laser rangefinders to enhance the capabilities of the satellite constellation.

EnduroSat, which launched its first satellite in 2018, has raised $10 million in a recent investment round to expand its global operations. Similarly, Scout Space, NorthStar Earth and Space, and Digantara have also secured early-stage funds for satellites aimed at improving space situational awareness in crowded orbits.

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