Bellatrix Aerospace, a Bengaluru-based startup in the space technology industry, intends to test its propulsion technologies in space by 2023 and to introduce its “space taxi” service by 2024.
An orbital transfer vehicle (OTV), commonly referred to as a “space taxi,” is a final link for satellites carried by rockets. The engines that keep satellites in orbit for their entire lifespan, typically 10 to 15 years, are known as satellite propulsion systems or thrusters.
The engines help satellites in orbit by enabling them to change orbits and control other orbital parameters like orientation, inclination, etc.
Hall thrusters, microwave plasma thrusters, Nano thrusters, and green propulsion systems are the four different types of thrusters the startup has created. Different kinds of thrusters will be available to accommodate satellites with sizes ranging from tiny to large.
The thrusters are unique as well. For instance, water is used as fuel in the microwave plasma thruster. Bellatrix Aerospace has a patent for the thruster, according to co-founder Yashas Karanam, and the Indian Space Research Organization has placed an order with the company (ISRO). He claimed that the power supplied by satellites propels the hall thruster.
Rohan M. Ganapathy and Karanam founded the business in 2015, specializing in producing launch vehicles (like Agnikul Cosmos or Skyroot Aerospace). It later decided to primarily concentrate on creating satellite propulsion technology, however, due to the intense rivalry in the market for space launch vehicles.
Rohan M. Ganapathy and Karanam founded the business in 2015, specializing in producing launch vehicles (like Agnikul Cosmos or Skyroot Aerospace). It later decided to primarily concentrate on creating satellite propulsion technology, however, due to the intense rivalry in the market for space launch vehicles.
Numerous tests were launched
Bellatrix will launch numerous tests in 2023, according to Karanam, to test its four propulsion technologies in space. He said testing these thrusters would differ significantly from testing a space rocket. He explained:
“A rocket launch can last for up to 30 minutes. Therefore, you should design, test, and qualify each of your systems for a maximum of 30 minutes of operation. However, I have to build and qualify a satellite propulsion system for 15 years of operation in orbit ”
Moreover, because the engines must function in space, there are more variations and challenges when creating satellite propulsion systems.
The thrusters have already been tested in a simulated vacuum environment at the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru, Karanam said, adding that we must test these engines in a vacuum.
He added that the test will last a few months in space, and “we will be flying them on actual satellites.”
The rocket market is too crowded
Bellatrix Aerospace struggled with the choice to change its focus from producing a rocket (the Chetak) to producing propulsion systems for satellites. Engineers frequently have a penchant for building rockets. However, it is challenging from a business perspective,” Karanam remarked.
Only two businesses produced rockets with payloads under 500 kg worldwide when Bellatrix began operations. He claimed that more than 230 enterprises have grown as the market has grown.
Therefore, there needs to be more market to support 230 enterprises. And if we had entered the market, despite developing some of the best technology, we would only succeed if we offered low launch costs.
Consequently, our profit margins would have shrunk, he explained. On the other hand, Bellatrix was attracted to the lack of rivalry in the market for satellite propulsion systems, and they saw an opportunity in the gaps in current technology.
Hydrazine has long been the fuel of choice for satellite propulsion systems. This substance is highly poisonous and cancer-causing. There are several rules and limitations surrounding its use, and anyone handling it must wear a HAZMAT suit, according to Karanam.
Because hydrazine is a volatile substance susceptible to shock, he continued, “even the plants (used to make it) had to be close to the rocket launch location.”
Bellatrix recognized the need for a fuel that is substantially lighter than hydrazine in addition to the environmental issues raised by its use. According to him, the majority of the weight of a satellite is accounted for by its fuel, which must be sufficient to power it for the duration of its 15-year life.
A 5-tonne communication satellite, for instance, would need to carry 3.5 tonnes of fuel alone, with only 300 kg of that weight being usable payload.
Therefore, you are paying for a 5-tonne satellite rather than just the 300 kg. Additionally, he added that you must pay per kilogram for launch vehicles, which drives up expenses.
As a result, the startup started considering options that were “cleaner, safer, and more efficient,” according to Karanam. They settled on innovations like microwave plasma thrusters that use water as fuel, among other things.
Everything we have produced at Bellatrix has been developed internally. Additionally, we have created many of its supporting systems in addition to the thruster, “explained he.
Catalysts, thermal coatings, testing and calibration tools, and other components are examples of thruster subsystems. All of this was done, he stated, to reduce expenses and benefit from the lead times we can provide to our clients.
Need for space taxi
The startup is also producing space taxis, or orbital transport vehicles, which it intends to send into orbit by 2024.
The orbital zone of the client who spent the most frequently sees multiple satellite-carrying rockets land there. After being deployed, our OTV will assist the other satellites aboard the rocket in achieving the necessary orbit,” explained Karanam.
In contrast to ISRO’s PSLV, which launches each year irregularly and carries several satellites, Karanam uses the term “chartered flight” to describe rockets that can be launched specifically for the requirements of one customer who want to deploy a satellite at a time of their choosing.
Currently, the startup works with satellite infrastructure producer Dhruva Space, rocket builder Skyroot Aerospace, and space data analytics firm SatSure.
