Aule Space has raised USD 2 million (~INR 18 crore) in a pre-seed round led by early-stage investor pi Ventures, with participation from angels including Eash Sundaram and Arvind Lakshmikumar. The spacetech startup is developing autonomous “jetpacks” that can attach to ageing satellites and extend their operational life.
Funding Use and Immediate Milestones
The proceeds will be deployed to expand the engineering team, build ground infrastructure for docking tests, and accelerate development of the first demonstration satellites slated to launch in 2027, Aule disclosed. The company added that the missions will validate rendezvous, proximity operations and docking (RPOD) capabilities before commercial roll‑out.
Aule said it has been part of the Entrepreneurs First accelerator and is backed by the Transpose Platform, positioning the young firm to tap talent and research partnerships as it scales early programmes.
How the ‘Jetpacks’ Work
Unlike refuelling approaches that require specialised interfaces, Aule is building satellite‑agnostic robotic craft designed to approach, dock and remain attached to a customer’s satellite, using its own thrusters to perform station‑keeping. The company said the system combines a mechanical docking module with AI‑driven guidance, navigation and control to safely execute RPOD on “non‑cooperative” legacy satellites.
“Imagine buying an expensive car and abandoning it when the fuel runs out… we want to change that,” said co‑founder and CEO Jay Panchal, adding that the life extension of geostationary (GEO) satellites could be up to six years under Aule’s approach.
Aule Space pre-Seed Round: Competitive Landscape
“We believe Aule is building critical infrastructure for the next phase of the space economy across satellite servicing, orbital sustainability and space security,” said Manish Singhal, founding partner at pi Ventures. The investor cited the team’s technical depth and clear commercial roadmap as reasons for backing the company.
Media reports have noted growing global interest in in‑orbit servicing, with a handful of private players demonstrating similar capabilities; peers include Starfish Space and Infinite Orbits, while Northrop Grumman has executed life‑extension missions with its Mission Extension Vehicles. In India, startups such as InspeCity and OrbitAID are also exploring autonomous docking methods, according to industry reporting.
Aule Space: Business Overview
Aule Space Founded in 2024 by Jay Panchal (CEO), Nithyaa Giri (CTO) and Hrishit Tambi (COO), the Bengaluru‑based venture is targeting commercial life‑extension for high‑value GEO communication satellites, close‑range inspection and eventual safe retirement of non‑functional assets. The company said the platform could also support defence‑grade space domain awareness.
Outlook
The near‑term plan is to complete ground docking trials, lock down the demonstration mission design and secure additional partnerships ahead of the 2027 launch window, Aule indicated. The company cautioned that rendezvous and docking in orbit remain complex, but argued that falling launch costs and maturing autonomy tools make the case for in‑space servicing stronger.
Aule Space Pre-Seed Funding Highlights
- Round: USD 2 million (~INR 18 crore) pre‑seed led by pi Ventures.
- Angels: Eash Sundaram (ex‑Intelsat board), Arvind Lakshmikumar (Tonbo Imaging), among others.
- Use of funds: Hiring, ground infrastructure for docking tests, and demo satellite development.
- Tech: Satellite‑agnostic docking plus AI‑driven GNC for RPOD on legacy satellites.
- Target outcomes: Life extension of GEO satellites by up to six years; inspection and de‑orbit use cases.
- Timeline: First demonstration satellites planned for 2027.
Bottom Line:
Aule pre-Seed fundraise underscores investor appetite for mission‑critical in‑orbit services as satellite fleets age and replacement costs remain high. If the 2027 demonstrations validate docking and station‑keeping as planned, the Bengaluru startup could open a domestic pathway for satellite life‑extension and allied services, though execution risk in RPOD remains significant.
For more details related to IPO GMP, SEBI IPO Approval, and Live Subscription stay tuned to IPO Central.