World's first cloud-built demo sat made by Indian firm Ananth Technologies

JANUS-1 satellite that rode on Isro's new mini-rocket SSLV-D2 and reached its orbit successfully on Friday is the world's first satellite fully conceived, designed and manufactured using an Indan company's end-to-end cloud platform. Interestingly, the complete assembly, integration and test for JANUS-1 has been conducted in Bengaluru by Ananth Technologies Ltd (ATL). JANUS-1 is a software defined 6U technology demonstration satellite designed and built using the Antaris cloud software platform and SatOSsoftware, as well as XDLinx's modular spacecraft bus. ATL has also contributed various avionics subsystems for Isro's earth observation satellite EOS-7 that was the main payload of SSLV-D2. From concept to launch readiness, JANUS-1 was designed and built in just 10 months at a cost saving of 75% over comparable satellite missions.

ATL founder and CMD Subba Rao Pavuluri said, "The first cloud-based satellite means one can access the data of JANUS-1 satellite from the cloud of Antaris company. JANUS-1 carries five payloads, including IOT (internet of things) and communication systems. With our company's facilities in Hyderabad, Bangalore and Thiruvananthapuram, we have provided support systems to Isro in developing 88 satellites and 72 launch vehicles in the last 28 years." Subba Rao said his company's new satellite centre in Bengaluru is a first-of-its-kind private facility in India and has the capacity to produce eight satellites weighing over 2 tonnes in 18 months and around 25-30 small satellites in just one month. "Besides supporting Isro, the company is also planning to develop its own constellation of earth observation satellites just like UK-based OneWeb is doing in the field of broadband satellites."