Space startup DhruvaSpace inks pact with French firm Kineis


Space startup DhruvaSpace inks pact with French firm Kineis
Space startup Dhruva Space and France-based satellite operator Kineis have inked an agreement, marking a partnership to establish space and ground infrastructure to scale the diversity and impact of satellite-based solutions.  The Hyderabad-based startup said in a statement that the memorandum of association states that both businesses will proceed in a bilateral collaboration in the construction of space assets and the provision of satellite-based services.
The agreement covers the creation and production of ground terminals running on Kineis chipsets, the shared commercialization of space assets, and satellite earth stations to support satellite-based services. Sanjay Nekkanti, CEO of Dhruva Space, said: "The signing of a MoA with Kineis is a reflection of the convergence of aspirations from both French and Indian Space industries, signifying a new chapter of growth and partnership between Kin is and Dhruva Space.
The deal was inked in Washington, D.C, during the Satellite 2023 conference for the space industry. "This deal confirms the willingness of Kineis to strengthen the go-to-market strategy in India and democratise access to IoT satellite connection worldwide," Chief Commercial and Business Development Officer, Kineis, Astrid Cousteau, said. The services offered by Kineis are active and offer worldwide coverage thanks to its nine satellites in orbit.
As part of its space-as-a-service offering, Dhruva Space builds satellite platforms with multi-payload configurations, widening the company's scope to work with any payload. In November last year, Dhruva Space successfully deployed two CubeSats Thybolt-1 and Thybolt-2 onboard ISRO's PSLV-C54.