India’s Space Tech Leap: VIKRAM3201, KALPANA3201 & Rising Startups

New Delhi: India’s space technology ambitions have taken a giant leap forward with a combination of indigenous semiconductor innovations, advanced microprocessors, and the rise of a new wave of private space startups. Together, they are shaping India into a global space tech powerhouse, reducing dependence on imports, and opening opportunities in satellite technology, launch vehicles, and beyond.

Indigenous ICs for Launch Vehicles: A Step Towards Self-Reliance

In a major breakthrough, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology’s (MeitY) Semi-Conductor Laboratory (SCL), has developed four new indigenous Integrated Circuits (ICs) designed to power India’s launch vehicles.

The devices include:

• 16-Core Reconfigurable Data Acquisition System (RDAS)
• High-Frequency Octal-Core RDAS
• Octal Channel Low Drop Out (LDO) Linear Voltage Regulator (LVR)
• Relay Driver ICs

These advanced ICs are expected to cut import reliance, lower launch costs, and reduce the size of avionics hardware. This marks a crucial step in making India’s space missions more self-sufficient.

VIKRAM3201 & KALPANA3201: The Future of Space Microprocessors

India’s Semiconductor Laboratory in Chandigarh has already been trusted for years with its earlier processor, VIKRAM1601, a 16-bit microprocessor used in ISRO launch vehicles since 2009.

On March 5, 2025, the first production lots of the 32-bit microprocessors — VIKRAM3201 & KALPANA3201 — were officially handed over to ISRO.

• VIKRAM3201:
  • The first fully ‘Make-in-India’ 32-bit microprocessor qualified for the harsh environment of space launch vehicles.
  • Fabricated at the 180nm CMOS semiconductor fab of SCL.
  • Advanced version of VIKRAM1601.
• KALPANA3201:
  • Named after Kalpana Chawla, the Indian-origin astronaut.
  • A 32-bit SPARC V8 RISC microprocessor, based on the IEEE 1754 Instruction Set Architecture.
  • Fully compatible with open-source software toolsets.
  • Tested with flight software, featuring an in-house developed simulator & IDE.
  • Tailored for mission-critical performance in launch vehicles and satellites.

Named after Indian space pioneer KALPANA CHAWLA, KALPANA3201 is a 32-bit RISC microprocessor fully compatible with open-source software toolsets, tested with flight software, and tailored for mission-critical performance. #DigitalIndia #NationalSpaceDay @isro @SclMohali pic.twitter.com/G4ysNlHDyw

— Ministry of Electronics & IT (@GoI_MeitY) August 23, 2025

This transition from 16-bit to 32-bit processors marks a quantum leap in India’s space avionics technology, making future missions more advanced, secure, and cost-efficient.

Private Space Startups: India’s New Frontier

India’s journey in space is no longer limited to ISRO. Since the space sector was opened to private companies in 2020, startups have emerged as global players, building unique innovations and setting world records.

India’s indigenous ICs for launch vehicles is redefining Avionics through innovation.

4 new indigenous devices for miniaturisation of launch vehicle avionics have been designed and developed by ISRO & MeitY’s SCL. #DigitalIndia #NationalSpaceDay @isro @SclMohali pic.twitter.com/TCZs6kASkZ

— Ministry of Electronics & IT (@GoI_MeitY) August 23, 2025

ALSO READ| PM Modi on National Space Day: India Advancing in Space with Youth, Startups, and Astronaut Pool Plans

Some of the most promising space startups include:

• Skyroot Aerospace:
  • Made history with Mission Prarambh, India’s first private rocket launch from Sriharikota.
  • Reached an apogee of 89.5 km.
  • Test-fired Vikram-1’s second stage.
  • Developed Kalam-1200, India’s largest private propulsion system.
• Agnikul Cosmos:
  • Created the world’s first rocket flight powered by a 3D-printed engine with the Agnibaan SOrTeD launch.
  • Built India’s first semi-cryogenic engine in the private sector.
  • Established a private launchpad named Dhanush.
• Pixxel Space:
  • Launched the world’s highest-resolution commercial hyperspectral satellites, known as the Firefly Constellation.
  • Can capture data across 150+ spectral bands with a swath width of 40 km.
• Dhruva Space:
  • Successfully completed 15,000+ orbits with its maiden satellites, Thybolt-1 and Thybolt-2.
  • First private Indian company to demonstrate store-and-forward satellite technology.
  • Offers Ground Stations as a Service (GSaaS).
• GalaxEye Space:
  • Developing the world’s first fusion of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) with optical imagery.
  • Enables unmatched clarity for climate monitoring and disaster response.
  • At the forefront of AI-driven geospatial intelligence.
• Digantara:
  • Revolutionizing space safety and debris tracking.
  • With its SCOT satellite (Space Camera for Object Tracking), it became the first to launch a commercial satellite capable of detecting objects as small as 5 cm in orbit.

Government Push: Expanding the Space Economy

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, during the 2024 Union Budget, announced a ₹1,000 crore venture capital fund to expand India’s space economy by five times within the next decade.

Future goals include:

• Setting up the Bharatiya Antariksha Station by 2035.
• Sending the first Indian astronaut to the Moon by 2040.
• Launching Gaganyaan, India’s first human spaceflight program, now in its final testing phase and scheduled for the first quarter of 2027.

National Space Day: Celebrating India’s Achievements

Every year on August 23, India celebrates National Space Day, commemorating the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the Moon’s South Pole. This milestone has inspired new ambitions such as Aditya-L1 (India’s first solar mission) and upcoming interplanetary missions.

ALSO READ|India Celebrates Second National Space Day Honoring Chandrayaan-3 Success

From indigenous processors like VIKRAM3201 & KALPANA3201, to private startups leading world-first innovations, and the government’s big push with policy and funding, India is rapidly building a self-reliant and globally competitive space ecosystem.

With Chandrayaan-3’s success, the upcoming Gaganyaan mission, and startups driving innovation, India is firmly on its way to becoming a global space tech powerhouse.

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