Dhruva’s space-grade solar panels to power up Pixxel’s satellite fleet
The partnership represents the coming together of two Indian spacetech start-ups. Built with high-efficiency triple-junction GaAs solar cells, Dhruva Space’s Solis+ panels are designed to operate reliably in the extreme conditions of space.
Indian space tech startups Dhruva Space and Pixxel have entered into a strategic collaboration, which will see Dhruva integrating space-grade solar panels into Pixxel’s next satellite fleet.
Dhruva indigenously designs and develops small satellites and key subsystems, including space-grade solar panels. Dhruva’s Solis+ panels are engineered for high-performance power generation in orbit. Built with high-efficiency (up to 30%) triple-junction GaAs solar cells, Solis+ is designed to operate reliably in the extreme conditions of space, Dhruva said in a media release.
Manufactured in-house at Dhruva’s facility in Hyderabad, these panels offer power capacities in the range of several kilowatts, making them ideal for larger classes of satellites and spacecraft. In November 2024, Dhruva successfully delivered a Solis+ order to the Government of India and is currently fulfilling export orders for customers in the UAE, Austria, Australia and France, the media release said.
Designed for daily global revisit and high spectral fidelity, Pixxel’s upcoming fleet of satellites builds on the success of its Firefly satellites launched in 2025, which marked the world’s first 5-meter commercial hyperspectral imagery.
“Power systems are mission-critical, and there’s no room for errors in space. As we expand our capabilities, we’re building with partners who bring deep technical ability and a shared focus on mission readiness — and Dhruva Space exemplifies both,” said Kshitij Khandelwal, Founder and Chief Technology Officer, Pixxel. “This collaboration reflects a shared drive to engineering excellence and a commitment to delivering high-quality, accessible satellite data to those tackling global challenges.”
“This partnership represents the best of India’s NewSpace capabilities coming together,” said Abhay Egoor, Chief Technology Officer and Co-founder, Dhruva Space. “I’m proud to highlight that there are very few players globally who design, manufacture, qualify, and export Space-grade solar panels, and that Dhruva Space is among them.”
