Manastu Space Test-Fires Green Thruster in Space

02 Jan 2025 CW Team

The POEM-4, part of the PSLV-C60 rocket that launched SpaDeX satellites, is positioned at an altitude of 350 km. It serves as a platform for multiple in-orbit experiments from ISRO labs, startups, and educational institutions. Tushar Jadhav, founder and CEO of Manastu Space, expressed gratitude to ISRO and IN-SPACe for enabling the test using this innovative platform.

Vyom 2U uses MS289 propellant, a blend of hydrogen peroxide, which replaces the carcinogenic hydrazine propellants traditionally used by satellites. This green propulsion system aims to contribute to safer and more sustainable space missions.

Manastu Space also highlighted that over the next few days, the PSLV will perform several critical maneuvers, accumulating over 500 seconds of in-space firing time. The startup emphasized the importance of this In-Orbit Demonstration (IOD), marking a major achievement for both their technology and the Indian space sector.

The POEM-4 platform is also hosting 24 experiments, including seed germination in space and testing a robotic arm for debris capture. With 14 experiments from ISRO and 10 from private universities and startups, the POEM is showcasing a diverse array of space technologies.

Pawan Kumar Goenka, Chairman of IN-SPACe, praised the initiative, stating that the POEM platform is a practical solution that reduces barriers for startups and research organizations, enabling broader participation in India's growing space sector.

Mumbai-based space startup Manastu Space announced a significant milestone with the successful test-firing of its home-built thruster, Vyom 2U, onboard the PSLV Orbital Experimental Module-4 (POEM). The test, conducted on the New Year's eve, involved a 30-second firing that tilted the POEM-4 platform by 24 degrees, imparting an angular velocity of 0.5 degrees per second before the onboard systems regained control. The POEM-4, part of the PSLV-C60 rocket that launched SpaDeX satellites, is positioned at an altitude of 350 km. It serves as a platform for multiple in-orbit experiments from ISRO labs, startups, and educational institutions. Tushar Jadhav, founder and CEO of Manastu Space, expressed gratitude to ISRO and IN-SPACe for enabling the test using this innovative platform. Vyom 2U uses MS289 propellant, a blend of hydrogen peroxide, which replaces the carcinogenic hydrazine propellants traditionally used by satellites. This green propulsion system aims to contribute to safer and more sustainable space missions. Manastu Space also highlighted that over the next few days, the PSLV will perform several critical maneuvers, accumulating over 500 seconds of in-space firing time. The startup emphasized the importance of this In-Orbit Demonstration (IOD), marking a major achievement for both their technology and the Indian space sector. The POEM-4 platform is also hosting 24 experiments, including seed germination in space and testing a robotic arm for debris capture. With 14 experiments from ISRO and 10 from private universities and startups, the POEM is showcasing a diverse array of space technologies. Pawan Kumar Goenka, Chairman of IN-SPACe, praised the initiative, stating that the POEM platform is a practical solution that reduces barriers for startups and research organizations, enabling broader participation in India's growing space sector.

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