Bengaluru start-up deploys world's first commercial space surveillance satellite

Bengaluru-based spacetech start-up Digantara has successfully commissioned SCOT (Space Camera for Object Tracking), the world's first commercial space-based surveillance satellite. The satellite, launched on January 14, 2025, aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-12 mission, marks a breakthrough in space situational awareness by enabling precise tracking of orbital objects.

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SCOT is equipped to monitor objects as small as five centimetres with a high revisit rate, allowing for frequent and accurate observations of space activity. Positioned in a sun-synchronous orbit, it offers enhanced efficiency in tracking objects in Low Earth Orbit compared to existing ground-based sensors. The satellite achieved its first light on March 8, 2025, marking a critical milestone in its operational deployment.

In a strategic expansion move, Digantara plans to invest between $10-15 million over the next six to eight months to establish a spacecraft manufacturing and space optics production centre in Colorado. The state government has committed approximately $1 million in operational incentives to support this initiative.

The start-up has already secured contracts with multiple defence agencies, including the United States Air Force and Space Force. It is also participating in key programmes under the Space Rapid Capability Office and Space Systems Command’s SDA TAP LAB. With this launch, Digantara aims to enhance global space monitoring capabilities, ensuring better management and protection of Earth’s orbital environment.