ex-ISRO Scientist-founded spacetech startup Orbitt Space raises $1 million in funding

Ahmedabad-based spacetech startup Orbitt Space has raised $1 million in a pre-Seed funding round led by pi Ventures, with participation from IIMA Ventures.

Founded in early 2025 by Christopher Parmar and Anupam Kumar, who bring ISRO-honed expertise in designing and developing high-reliability satellite systems, Orbitt Space is building a breakthrough Air-breathing Electric propulsion system and next-gen satellite bus platform designed for Ultra Low Earth Orbit (ULEO) below 250 km altitude—a zone it says remains untapped due to high atmospheric drag and fuel constraints.

The startup will use the raised capital to accelerate the design and development of Orbitt’s proprietary electric propulsion technology and avionics systems, to build a world-class core team of scientists and engineers, and to begin rigorous testing of its first prototype with the aim to validate the technology.

These efforts are a critical step toward realising the company's vision of enabling sustainable, debris-free, long-duration, satellite operations in ULEO, the release notes.

Developing tech to enable satellites operate sustainably

Currently, most satellites operate in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), which is becoming increasingly congested and hazardous, with over 40,000 tracked objects and an estimated 1.2 million smaller debris fragments that pose a collision risk.

With the natural deorbiting of satellites post-mission, ULEO presents a self-regulating solution to space debris. It also delivers key performance advantages such as significantly sharper imaging, reduced signal latency and radiation protection that allows the use of cost-effective commercial electronics thereby reducing upfront capex.

To tap into the potential of the unexplored ULEO, Orbitt is developing proprietary technology that allows satellites to operate sustainably for 5–7 years in high-drag environments. Its electric propulsion system uses residual atmospheric gases as propellant, eliminating the need for onboard fuel. 

Combined with a high-agility, 200 kg-class satellite bus, Orbitt aims to deliver a robust platform for Earth observation, low-latency telecommunications, climate monitoring, surveillance, and scientific missions.

While such technology is still in the research and development phase globally and remains uncommercialized at scale, Orbitt aims to be among the first to launch a ULEO satellite powered by its air-breathing electric propulsion system.

"ULEO is the cleanest and most strategic orbit around Earth, yet it has remained inaccessible until now. Our electric propulsion system will change that, enabling satellites to operate longer missions at low altitudes while delivering advanced imaging and data capabilities without contributing to orbital pollution," said Christopher Parmar, Co-founder & CEO of Orbitt Space.

Anupam Kumar, Co-founder & CTO of Orbitt Space, added “For us, this isn’t just about building electric propulsion and satellite platform technologies, it’s about reshaping how we access space. Having spent initial years at ISRO in satellite environment testing, I have seen firsthand the challenges of satellite longevity in orbit. With Orbitt, we aim to build platforms that redefine global standards for performance, cost-efficiency, and sustainability.”

Orbitt Space is currently in the development phase focused on building and qualifying its core propulsion and avionics systems. The next phase will involve in-orbit demonstrations to validate performance, followed by the commercial rollout of Orbitt’s ULEO satellite platform.

The startup aims to spearhead India’s entry into this emerging orbital frontier, by defining a new category of efficient, sustainable space infrastructure and enabling a new era of persistent, high-resolution earth observation and higher data rates, to strengthen the country’s strategic capabilities.