Reliance Jio to Launch $15B LEO Satellite Constellation, Challenging Starlink

Reliance Jio has formally proposed building a massive low Earth orbit (LEO) constellation of 1,600–1,650 satellites at ~650 km altitude, aiming to deliver broadband and direct-to-device (D2D) services across India and globally within 2–3 years. The project, estimated at $10–15 billion, would make Jio the first Indian entity to enter the LEO satellite race, directly competing with Starlink, Amazon Kuiper, and OneWeb.

Reliance Jio has submitted its 1,650‑satellite LEO broadband proposal to India’s space regulator, the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN‑SPACe), which is currently reviewing the technical design and configuration. The government is also expected to support Jio with International Telecommunication Union (ITU) filings to secure orbital slots.

Reliance Jio’s LEO Satellite Project

Project Highlights

• Scale: 1,600–1,650 satellites planned
• Altitude: ~650 km orbit
• Timeline: Rollout targeted in 2–3 years
• Investment: $10–15 billion (₹95,000–1.42 lakh crore)
• Regulatory: Proposal submitted to IN-SPACe; ITU filings expected
• Business Unit: To be housed under Jio Platforms

Strategic Importance

• First Indian LEO initiative: Breaks foreign monopoly in satellite broadband
• National security: Reduces reliance on foreign operators
• Digital inclusion: Bridges rural connectivity gaps
• Global ambition: Positions Jio as a challenger worldwide

Jio vs Global Players

Reliance Jio	Starlink	Amazon Kuiper	OneWeb
1,600–1,650 satellites planned	~10,000 satellites operational	3,200 satellites planned (300+ launched)	~654 satellites operational
Altitude ~650 km	Altitude ~550 km	Altitude ~630 km	Altitude ~1,200 km
Rollout in 2–3 years	Already operational	Rollout by 2026–27	Operational
$10–15B investment	$10B+	$10B	$3B+
Focus: India + global	Global	Global	Global (gov & enterprise)

Risks & Challenges

• Capital intensity: Huge upfront investment with long payback cycles
• Orbital congestion: Crowded LEO environment raises collision risks
• Regulatory hurdles: Spectrum and orbital slot approvals critical
• Global competition: Starlink already dominates; Kuiper and OneWeb scaling fast

What This Means for India

• Boost to Digital India: Extends broadband to underserved areas
• Strategic autonomy: Reduces dependence on foreign satellite networks
• Industrial synergy: Complements Jio’s telecom dominance. 

As of now, Reliance Jio’s proposal is with IN‑SPACe, and the next critical step will be government‑backed ITU filings to secure orbital slots. 

SpaceX Wins $4.16B Contract to Build Defense Satellites

SpaceX has secured a massive $4.16 billion contract from the U.S. Space Force to build a constellation of satellites under the Space-Based Advanced Moving Target Indicator (SB-AMTI) program, aimed at tracking airborne threats such as missiles and aircraft. The system is expected to be operational by 2028, strengthening America’s Golden Dome missile defense initiative.

The Space-Based Advanced Moving Target Indicator (SB-AMTI) is a U.S. Space Force program designed to create a constellation of satellites that can detect, track, and target airborne threats such as aircraft and missiles from orbit, forming a critical sensing layer in the Golden Dome missile defense system.

Key Details of the Deal

• Contract Value: $4.16 billion
• Awarding Agency: U.S. Space Force
• Program Name: Space-Based Advanced Moving Target Indicator (SB-AMTI)
• Purpose: Detect and track airborne threats (missiles, aircraft) from orbit
• Deployment Timeline: Constellation of satellites projected by 2028
• Strategic Role: Forms part of the Golden Dome missile defense shield

How SB-AMTI Works

• Space-based sensors: Provide wide-area surveillance beyond traditional radar
• Secure communications links: Ensure real-time data flow to command centers
• AI-enabled ground processing: Helps identify and track fast-moving airborne targets
• Layered defense integration: Works alongside systems like the E-7 Wedgetail aircraft

Strategic Context

Golden Dome	SB-AMTI	Starshield
$185B missile defense shield	$4.16B satellite tracking program	$2.29B secure comms network
Ground interceptors + sensors	Detects airborne threats from orbit	Connects sensors & weapons globally
Expanding since 2025	Operational by 2028	Awarded earlier this week

Risks & Challenges

• Cost escalation: Golden Dome’s budget has risen to $185 billion
• Geopolitical competition: China and Russia are developing counter-space systems
• Technical hurdles: Rapid deployment by 2028 requires accelerated development

Why It Matters Globally

• Militarization of space: Satellites now play active defense roles
• Ripple effects: Allies may seek similar systems, adversaries accelerate counter-tech
• SpaceX IPO momentum: Strengthens investor confidence with $1.75T valuation target

SatLeo Labs Secures $2.2M to Advance AI-Powered Thermal Satellite Constellation

• The funding will accelerate SatLeo’s flagship thermal satellite mission and fast-track its AI-powered platform for next-gen thermal intelligence.

SatLeo Labs, a leading space-tech startup focused on capturing high-resolution thermal & visible data from Low Earth Orbit (LEO) has raised $2.2Mn in a seed round led by Unicorn India Ventures. With this, SatLeo has raised $5.5M in total funding to date. The round also saw participation from existing investors Merak Ventures, Java Capital, IIMA-CIIE and Deep tech Investor Manish Gandhi. The funding will be deployed to advance SatLeo’s flagship thermal satellite mission and the development of its AI-powered platform for thermal intelligence applications.

Over the last 12 months, SatLeo has experienced significant growth across technology development, team expansion, funding, and commercial traction. The company has grown its team from 8 to 30 members, bringing together engineers and researchers with deep expertise in satellite missions, thermal sensing, and AI-driven geospatial analytics.

The company has achieved a major milestone by designing and delivering its first experimental thermal payload, TAPAS-1, for satellite integration within six months, reaching TRL-8 readiness and positioning the system for launch. In parallel, the company began translating its technology into real-world deployments through commercial pilot projects, including urban heat island and air-pollution monitoring initiatives with cities such as Ahmedabad and Tumakuru, impacting more than 400,000 citizens. Additionally, the company has built a strong commercial pipeline, with Letters of Intent (LOIs) growing from approximately $15Mn to over $42Mn within the year, reflecting strong market demand for SatLeo’s space-based thermal intelligence solutions.

“Sustainability has become imperative amid accelerating climate change, rapid urbanization, and increasing global uncertainties driven by heat anomalies," said Shravan Bhati, Co-founder & CEO, SatLeo Labs. At SatLeo Labs, we are developing a state-of-the-art thermal imaging satellite constellation designed to deliver actionable thermal intelligence at scale. This fundraise represents a critical milestone as we transition into the execution phase of our next mission—advancing payload performance, accelerating constellation deployment, and scaling our global thermal data capabilities.”

Bhaskar Majumdar, Managing Partner, Unicorn India Ventures, said, “We strongly believe that space is an arena where the next technological innovations and solutions will emerge from. This is our third space tech investment. The value of SatLeo presents a compelling opportunity, as it has a strong technological edge with very clear commercial applications aligning with the market needs. The company’s differentiated product is combining thermal and visible satellites to generate high value real-time insights and is well positioned to drive long-term value to become a key player in the space-tech ecosystem.”

In the next 12 months, SatLeo plans to focus on advancing its space-based thermal intelligence capabilities through satellite launch readiness, commercial expansion, and technology scaling

About SatLeo Labs

SatLeo Labs is a spacetech company building an advanced multi-spectral satellite constellation combining thermal (IR) and visible imaging to deliver continuous, high-resolution Earth observation insights. Its platform enables applications across defence, agriculture, disaster response, and urban climate intelligence, helping governments and enterprises make data-driven, sovereign decisions and build climate-resilient systems at scale.

About Unicorn India Ventures

Started in 2016 by Bhaskar Majumdar and Anil Joshi, Unicorn India Ventures is a deep tech focused early-stage fund that invests in emerging and visionary startups. Unicorn India Ventures launched its first fund with a corpus of Rs 100 crore and invested in 17 companies like SmartCoin, Open Bank, Sequretek, Pharmarack, Genrobotics, Clootrack, FutureCure to mention some. The Fund has emerged as the best performing early-stage fund in India with the stellar exits provided by the fund to its LPs. Fund II is a Rs 300 Cr fund launched in 2020 that has invested in 20 companies so far like Gamerji, Probus, Daalchini, Windo, Finsall. Most of the portfolio is scaling up fast and has had several uprounds.

Unicorn India Ventures has closed its Rs 1200 Cr Fund III surpassing the target of Rs 1000 Crore. With this Fund, UIV aims to build a portfolio of 20 startups that are focused mostly in the deep tech sector that includes semiconductor, space tech, and medical diagnostics apart from AI infrastructure and India digital platforms. Companies like Netrasemi, Kluisz, OrbitAID, TakeMe2Space, Aurassure, EyeROV, QubeHealth to name a few.

Recently, IIT-Madras and Unicorn India Ventures launched Rs 1000 crore “IITM Unicorn Frontier Fund I”. UIV is a fund with engineering DNA and has been backing deeptech companies for over a decade. The Fund has investors across the globe represented by institutions, family offices and UHNIs. The Fund has a global viewpoint while sourcing companies throughout the country.

Airbus Expands Its Very High-Resolution Earth Observation Satellites Constellation

Airbus has launched the Pléiades Neo Next programme, which is a significant expansion of its very high-resolution Earth observation constellation. This initiative will introduce new satellite assets and capabilities, including an enhanced native resolution. The first step in this programme is the development of a new satellite, set to be launched in the coming years.

The Pléiades Neo Next programme is designed to build upon the success of the current Pléiades Neo constellation, which provides services to both government and commercial customers globally. With this expansion, Airbus aims to further improve the quality, performance, and reliability of its geo-Intelligence services and applications.

Airbus is a global leader in aerospace, including the design and manufacture of satellites for Earth observation and other purposes. The company operates the largest Earth observation constellation, which includes the Pléiades Neo, Pléiades, SPOT, DMC Constellation, and Vision-1 optical satellites, as well as the Radar Constellation consisting of TerraSAR-X, TanDEM-X, and PAZ.

Pléiades Neo HD15 over The Petit and Grand Palais in Paris. © Airbus DS 2022

The new programme Pléiades Neo Next is fully funded, manufactured, and operated by Airbus Defence and Space. It promises to offer full image capacity for a variety of sectors, including defence and intelligence, agriculture, environment, maritime, disaster response, mapping, location-based services, civil engineering, urban planning, and utilities. Users will have the ability to directly task the Airbus satellites shortly before they pass over the area of interest, with images being swiftly delivered either through Direct Receiving Stations on the ground or via the OneAtlas digital platform.

The collaboration between Pléiades Neo and Pléiades Neo Next satellites will ensure a higher revisit rate anywhere on Earth, potentially several times per day, along with the best spatial resolution and geolocation accuracy currently available in the market. The development of Pléiades Neo Next will also see improvements to the ground segment, the Direct Receiving Stations, and the OneAtlas platform, enhancing the capacity for imagery requests and optimizing the time between request, capture, and reception.

This expansion signifies Airbus's commitment to reinforcing its Earth observation capabilities and remaining at the forefront of geospatial technologies. The Airbus fleet, which includes both optical and radar satellite constellations, offers complementary services and applications with various resolutions, all-weather, and day-and-night capabilities. Additionally, Airbus is developing new capabilities based on stratospheric platforms.

Compared to other Earth observation satellites, the Pléiades Neo Next programme aims to provide unprecedented precision, reactivity, and acquisition capacity. It's designed to support a wide range of sectors including defense, intelligence, agriculture, environment, maritime, disaster response, and urban planning, among others. The combination of these features makes it a highly competitive option in the global Earth observation market.

The Pléiades Neo constellation is particularly noteworthy as it is entirely funded, manufactured, owned, and operated by Airbus, providing 30cm resolution images. This high-resolution imagery supports a wide range of applications, from environmental analysis and disaster management to urban planning.