Dhruva Space to Power Satellites with Space-Grade Solar Panels

In a boost to India’s private space sector, Dhruva Space released an official statement that it will supply its indigenously developed Solis+ space-grade solar panels for Pixxel’s upcoming hyperspectral satellite constellation.

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Dhruva Space, headquartered in Hyderabad, designs and manufactures space-grade solar panels and small satellite systems. Its Solis+ panels are engineered for high-performance power generation in orbit, utilising triple-junction Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) solar cells with up to 30 per cent efficiency, the company said in its official statement.

Manufactured in-house at Dhruva’s facility, these panels deliver several kilowatts of power and are built for mission durability in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO). Dhruva previously supplied Solis+ panels to the Government of India in November 2024 and is now fulfilling export orders to countries including the UAE, Austria, Australia, and France.

“Power systems are mission-critical in space, and Dhruva Space exemplifies the technical expertise and mission readiness we need,” said Kshitij Khandelwal, Founder and CTO of Pixxel. “This collaboration will help deliver high-quality, accessible satellite data to tackle global challenges.”

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“This partnership represents the best of India’s NewSpace capabilities coming together,” added Abhay Egoor, CTO and Co-founder of Dhruva Space. “There are very few global players who design, manufacture, qualify, and export space-grade solar panels — Dhruva is proud to be one of them.”

Expanding Manufacturing Capacity

To support its future growth, Dhruva Space is establishing what it calls South Asia’s first dedicated spacecraft manufacturing facility on 6.5 acres with a built-up area of 280,000 square feet.

The facility allocates 30,000 sqft for the design and development of space-grade solar arrays. It will also accommodate 40,000 sqft for Assembly, Integration, and Testing (AIT) of spacecraft up to 500 kg.

It aims to enable vertical integration and scalable spacecraft production entirely from Indian soil.

Pixxel Satellites

Bengaluru-based Pixxel is building a constellation of 18 to 24 hyperspectral satellites designed to offer daily global revisit capabilities. These satellites will build on the success of Pixxel’s Firefly satellites, launched in 2025, which delivered the world’s first 5-meter commercial hyperspectral imagery.

Pixxel claims that its hyperspectral imaging provides 50 times richer detail than conventional optical satellites. It is designed to meet the application needs of a range of industries, such as agriculture, oil and gas, mining, and environmental management.

Pixxel has raised USD 95 million from global investors such as Google, Aditya Birla Ventures, Glade Brook Capital Partners, Lightspeed, Radical Ventures, and M&G Catalyst. The constellation is set to deliver the world’s highest-resolution hyperspectral imagery, helping industries monitor resources, improve efficiency, and address environmental challenges.

As per one Markets and Markets report, the global satellite solar cell market was valued at USD 44 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 96 billion by 2030, clocking a CAGR of 13.7 per cent. The space agencies worldwide, including NASA, ESA, and ISRO, are exploring the sector, which is still in its infancy.