Space MAITRI Mission

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About Spece MAITRI Mission:

Space MAITRI (Mission for Australia-India’s Technology, Research and Innovation), represents a major step forward in the strategic partnership between the two nations in the space domain.
It aims to foster closer ties between commercial, institutional, and governmental space organizations from India and Australia.
It focuses on debris management and sustainability, aligning with both nations’ core values and objectives in promoting responsible space operations and mitigating the growing threat of space debris.
Under this agreement, NewSpace India Limited will launch Australia’s Space Machines Company’s second Optimus spacecraft in 2026.
- The 450kg Optimus spacecraft, the largest Australian-designed and built spacecraft to date, will be launched on ISRO’s Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV).

Key facts about NewSpace India Limited

It is a commercial arm under Department of Space (DoS), Government of India.
It was incorporated in March 2019 and was set up to take high technology space-related activities in India.
Under the new space policy reforms announced by the Government of India in June 2020, NSIL is to undertake operational satellite missions on a “demand-driven” model.
They are responsible to build, launch, own and operate the satellite and provide services to customers.
It is headquartered in Bengaluru.

Q1: What are Small Satellite Launch Vehicles (SSLVs)?

SSLV is a 3-stage Launch Vehicle configured with three Solid Propulsion Stages and liquid propulsion-based Velocity Trimming Module (VTM) as a terminal stage.

Source: Collaboration Marks a New Era in Space Exploration