India News : India has taken a major leap in space technology, moving closer to the league of global space powers such as the United States, Russia and China. An Ahmedabad-based private company, Ajista Space, has successfully demonstrated a critical capability known as in-orbit snooping—the ability to track and image another spacecraft from space.
First-ever such feat by an Indian private firm
Ajista Space’s AFR satellite (weighing 80 kg) has successfully captured images of the International Space Station (ISS). This marks the first time an Indian private satellite has tracked and imaged another space object in orbit.
The experiment was conducted on February 3, when AFR tracked the ISS, which orbits Earth at an altitude of around 400 km. The satellite captured 15 images in two passes, taken from a distance of 250–300 km, even while imaging in the opposite direction of the Sun—considered a highly challenging task.
According to the company, the images were captured with 2.2-metre sampling resolution, and both attempts were 100% successful, validating AFR’s tracking algorithms and imaging precision.
Strategic importance for national security
This technology—also referred to as space watch or in-orbit surveillance—has major strategic implications. It can potentially be used to monitor hostile satellites, track missile-related space objects, and protect national space assets.
India currently operates more than 50 active satellites, used for communication, navigation, Earth observation and surveillance, with an estimated value exceeding ₹50,000 crore. In times of rising geopolitical tensions, the ability to monitor suspicious activity in orbit is crucial under Space Situational Awareness (SSA) frameworks.
Until now, such capabilities were largely limited to major global powers. This achievement places India firmly on that advanced technological map.
AFR satellite and launch details
The AFR satellite was launched on June 13, 2023, aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. Ajista Space claims AFR is currently India’s only satellite capable of this level of in-orbit tracking and imaging.
About Ajista Space
Ajista Space is headquartered in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, with its manufacturing facility in Sanand, regarded as Asia’s first private satellite manufacturing factory. The company has the capacity to build up to 50 satellites per year and specializes in satellite design, development, integration, electro-optical payloads, and image processing systems.
Several members of Ajista’s engineering team have previously worked on more than 12 missions of ISRO, giving the company deep technical expertise.
What is in-orbit snooping?
In-orbit snooping refers to the capability of a satellite to detect, track, orient itself toward, and image another satellite or space object. AFR achieved this using advanced sensors that precisely adjusted its orientation to lock onto the ISS and capture high-quality images.
Future possibilities
Experts believe this breakthrough will significantly strengthen India’s space defence ecosystem and accelerate the growth of the private space sector. In the future, satellites like AFR could be used for:
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Tracking space debris
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Early warning systems for hostile activity
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Support for complex space missions
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Enhanced protection of national space infrastructure
This success signals a new era where Indian private companies are building technologies once dominated by global superpowers.
