SpaceX Falcon 9 to Launch Bengaluru Startup Digantara’s SCOT Satellite on January 14

Digantara, a Bengaluru-based space technology startup, is set to launch its Space Climate and Object Tracker (SCOT) satellite on January 14, according to a report by News Nine. The satellite will be aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket departing from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, USA. The primary payload for this Falcon 9 mission is Transporter-12.

According to the News Nine report, the SCOT satellite aims to enhance space situational awareness by tracking and monitoring objects in Earth’s orbit. This mission builds on Digantara’s existing capabilities, which include operating ground facilities in India and South America for tracking satellites and orbital objects.

The SCOT satellite is equipped with patented technology designed to mitigate two primary risks to orbital assets: collisions with other objects in space and disruptions caused by space weather. By providing precise orbital tracking data, the satellite can help operators avoid collisions and reduce the creation of space debris. Additionally, the satellite’s in-situ monitoring capabilities enable near-real-time assessment of space weather, such as solar activity that can increase atmospheric drag on satellites.

Digantara has stated that this mission is part of its broader efforts to develop a comprehensive space situational awareness database, incorporating inputs from various ground-based instruments, including radars, GPS systems, satellite laser ranging, and optical telescopes.

The launch of SCOT is a step toward enhancing the tracking and management of objects in Earth’s increasingly crowded orbital environment.