In a monumental leap for India’s space ambitions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has lauded Bengaluru-based space startup Digantara for the triumphant launch of Mission SCOT (Space Camera for Object Tracking) on January 17, 2025. This landmark achievement propels India to the forefront of global space surveillance and highlights the exceptional innovation emerging from the country’s private sector.
Mission SCOT, the world’s first commercial Space Situational Awareness (SSA) satellite, was launched aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-12 mission. The satellite is now fully operational, having successfully connected with its ground station and deployed its solar panels. With its advanced tracking capabilities, Mission SCOT can monitor objects as small as 5 cm in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), significantly enhancing national security and bolstering space traffic management.
Prime Minister Modi praised this milestone, calling it a testament to India’s rising dominance in space technology and the critical role of youth-led startups in driving innovation. In response, Digantara expressed gratitude for the government’s unwavering support and emphasized that Mission SCOT fortifies India’s space security framework while positioning the nation as a global leader in space domain awareness.
This success aligns seamlessly with India’s push to empower private players in the space sector. The government’s recent approval of a ₹1,000 crore Venture Capital Fund under IN-SPACe aims to fuel the country’s growing $8.4 billion space economy, with ambitions to soar to $44 billion by 2033.
Digantara’s Mission SCOT not only marks a major stride in safeguarding space assets but also reflects the government’s strategic commitment to nurturing private sector innovation and advancing India’s stature in the global space race.
