Bellatrix Aerospace is developing a new class of satellites designed to operate at altitudes as low as 180-200 km above Earth under an initiative dubbed ‘Project 200’, a move the space propulsion startup said could dramatically lower satellite costs while enabling centimetre-level imaging resolution from orbit.
The Bengaluru-based company is targeting launches in 2027 or 2028 and is positioning the project as a potential breakthrough in very low Earth orbit (VLEO) satellite operations, an area that remains largely unexplored globally because of the extreme atmospheric drag at those altitudes.
“We are trying to build the world’s first satellite in this altitude and make it stay there for years,” Yashas Karanam, co-founder and chief operating officer, Bellatrix Aerospace, told ET.
Unlike conventional low Earth orbit satellites, which operate above 600 km, the company’s proposed VLEO satellites would use a propulsion system that converts atmospheric particles into plasma fuel, allowing the spacecraft to sustain orbit despite constant drag. The startup said it has already ground-demonstrated the propulsion technology.
Karanam said the lower orbit could significantly improve imaging capabilities. “When we are talking about metre-level resolution today, we can shift to centimetre resolution,” he said, adding that the technology could eventually enable “drone-quality imagery from space” for defence and surveillance applications.
The startup is also betting that operating in VLEO would sharply reduce satellite manufacturing costs because radiation exposure is substantially lower closer to Earth, reducing dependence on expensive space-grade electronics.
According to Karanam, a conventional optical Earth observation satellite in low Earth orbit can cost $15-20 million, while Bellatrix’s architecture could potentially cut costs by three to four times for comparable operations.
The company recently tested several subsystems relevant to Project 200 during its Harbinger technology demonstration mission launched aboard a SpaceX rocket in March.
Bellatrix said it is already in discussions with multiple partners for future constellations that would use the company’s satellite platform, though names were not disclosed. The startup sees potential use cases spanning defence, telecom, Earth observation, disaster management and space-based AI computing infrastructure.
The company recently raised $20 million and is using a large portion of the funding to expand manufacturing capacity nearly sixfold and build a larger propulsion and satellite manufacturing facility near Bengaluru airport.
Karanam said Bellatrix currently derives most of its business from private international customers and operates distributed teams across India, Europe and the US, with its US headquarters incorporated in Delaware.
He added that Bellatrix is also supporting Japan-based Astroscale on propulsion-related aspects of space debris removal and satellite refuelling missions.
