BENGALURU: A two-year-old startup is aiming to be the first Indian company to design and manufacture satellites as it gears up for a commercial launch within the next two years. Dhruva Space , co-founded by space technologist Sanjay Nekkanti, is developing two satellites that weigh less than 30 kg each — the first one will be a technology demonstrator and the second, a private satellite for the Indian arm of Amateur Radio Operators , a global non-profit body that promotes launch of radio satellites.On Sunday, Dhruva Space sealed a deal with Amsat India , and the grouping will develop radio payloads for the satellite being built by the Bengaluru company.“India is the face of future frugal innovation,” said Nekkanti, 25, a holder of two masters degrees in space technology and spacecraft instrumentation from Lulea University of Technology in Sweden. “Isro has proved that. It is now our turn to prove that for the private space industry,” he said, adding that the inspiration came from Isro ’s Mars mission Dhruva’s satellites are expected to be launched on Isro’s workhorse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle . Nekkanti said his team is working closely with the space organisation for design approvals and testing of the satellites. If the process is successful, it will lead to the launch of Dhruva’s first satellite in early 2016, with the second following soon after.“We are building satellites in the 10-100 kg range, which can do the same thing as an 800-kg satellite. This is pure commercial grade,” said Abhishek Raju, 30, the chief strategy officer of Dhruva.“They have made a presentation to us some time back and have been asked to give a formal proposal to Isro,” said Mylswamy Annadurai, project director at Isro Satellite Center, Bangalore While there are about 400 private companies that supply components to Isro, Dhruva Space will be the first to develop an entire satellite, according to the company’s co-founders.Dhruva was set up in 2012 by Nekkanti, the CEO, Narayan Prasad, his collegemate, and Raju. The three have firmed up collaborations with several industry organisations, including satellite company Berlin Space Technologies Saber Astronautics in Australia and launch facilitation firm Earth2Orbit India . They have also roped in several former scientists at Isro as advisors.Experts are of the view that small satellites are the key to the growth of the private space industry. SpaceWorks Enterprises, a space consultancy in Atlanta, estimates that about 2,750 nano or microsatellites will be launched in the next six years with a 15% increase in the commercial launch market.“What was space-grade around 30 years ago is now commercial grade, and that’s what Dhruva is following.There, however, needs to be a solid infrastructure for private satellite launches,” said KR Sridhara Murthi, a former MD of Isro’s commercial arm, Antrix Corporation , and advisor to Dhruva Space.The company says it uses 3D printing technology, advanced CNC machines and opensource architectures for the final integration of the spacecraft.Raju said the average budget for a satellite developed by Isro —known for its frugal Mars mission that cost less than a Hollywood blockbuster —is about Rs 200-300 crore. “Unconventional techniques and higher risk do not mean quality compromises,” said Raju.Automatic Identification of Ships, disaster management, pollution monitoring and national security are the priority applications for the company.Small satellites that weigh less than 100 kg are at present used as experimental functional substitutes for large satellites.In India, students have built and launched small satellites, including Jugnu, which weighed 3 kg and was built at the IIT-Kanpur. Nekkanti was also part of a team at the SRM University in Chennai which built a 10-kg satellite with guidance from Isro in 2011.