Bellatrix to set up $76-million ‘Space taxi’, propulsion systems R&D centre, factory near Bengaluru

By Bhalchandra Chorghade, Editor, CNCTimes.com

A research and development (R&D) centre and manufacturing factory for space taxis (orbital transfer vehicles or OTVs) and propulsion systems for rockets and satellites are expected to begin the first phase operations on a 5-acre facility at the aerospace park near Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) by late 2023.

The new facility, which once fully operational is expected to be worth $76 million (around Rs 630 crore), will be established by space tech firm Bellatrix Aerospace, a Bengaluru-headquartered company specialising in in-orbit propulsion systems and OTVs/space taxis.

The firm, which signed an MoU with the government of Karnataka on Wednesday, said it plans to set up its 2.1-lakh-sq ft space factory to meet its global demand with a capacity to manufacture several thousand propulsion systems every year, in addition to the state-of-the-art facility to manufacture its OTVs.

The facility is set to generate high-tech jobs in Bengaluru both for R&D (scientists) and production.

Yashas Karanam, co-founder, Bellatrix, told TOI, "Overall, over the next three-four years, we are looking at around 350-400 jobs at this facility. We should be able to begin operations as part of our first phase implementation of the project in the second half of 2023."

The firm may eventually look at increasing the investment to touch $100-million, but Karanam said “it is too early to comment”.

At the new facility, aside from the space taxi, the firm will manufacture four of its thrusters : The Hall thruster, microwave plasma thruster, nano thrusters and green propulsion systems.

Bellatrix, which last year tested India’s first privately built Hall Thruster — a highly efficient electric propulsion system for satellites — has since signed an agreement with L&T to enhance capacity. It was also the first to develop the world’s first commercial Microwave Plasma Thruster, which uses water as fuel, and for which the company had bagged an order from Isro.

A Hall Thruster, initially developed in Russia, is a device that employs electric and magnetic fields to ionise propellant gases such as Xenon to produce thrust. Today, it is the most reliable and time-tested electric propulsion system in the global market.

And as per Bellatrix, this thruster also forms a critical technology for its Space taxi or OTV. The firm has collaborations with other space companies — SatSure, Skyroot Aerospace and Dhruva Space — on its ambitious orbital transfer vehicle (OTV) mission.

(Source: AutoCar Professional)

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