SatLeo Labs launches India's first commercial thermal payload

Gujarat-based spacetech startup SatLeo Labs has successfully launched TAPAS-1, identified as India’s first commercial thermal payload, into space. The payload was deployed aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on October 1 and is currently orbiting approximately 500 km above Earth.

Weighing three kg, the Thermal Access Platform for Analytics and Solutions-1 (TAPAS-1) is designed to capture high-resolution images of global temperature variations. The processed data is intended to assist in urban heat management, monitoring agricultural conditions, tracking water scarcity, and managing natural disasters such as forest fires and floods.

This milestone aligns with the ‘Gujarat Spacetech Policy 2025-30’, an initiative led by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel to establish the state as a global hub for space technology manufacturing and innovation. SatLeo Labs has utilized support from this policy, which includes assistance with launch costs, intellectual property rights, and subsidies for testing facilities.