The future is here in India as Hyderabad-based tech startup Take Me 2 Space launched an ambitious project -- AI-driven satellite laboratories that can be operated remotely from anywhere.

This is the first time that such a project has been launched in India. Under this project that makes space sciences more accessible, students across the country can get a chance to operate satellites remotely. This can also gear up the chances of Indian dominance in space.

This barrier-breaking initiative in space research is seeking to put India on the front line with countries like the USA and China. So far, in India, only government agencies and top research institutes dominate the field.

By offering students, researchers, and even businesses access to real-time satellite operations, Take Me 2 Space hopes to level the playing field.

The founder of Take Me 2 space focused on the lab's remote work and emphasised that, regardless of location, the lab would allow everyone to conduct experiments smoothly. "You don’t have to be at NASA or ISRO to run an experiment," Ronak Kumar Samantray explained. "You could be in Kerala, Delhi, or even Antarctica, and still control a satellite."

BENEFITS FOR SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES

The initiative of the satellite lab will allow schools and universities to subscribe to the service. Students can opt to log in remotely, upload their code and interact with real satellites. The company envisions this as the future of space education, akin to how schools today have computer or robotics labs.

Though the company has already attracted 20 customers, including 16 from the GIS and data analytics sectors, only four are educational institutions.

The project of Take Me 2 Space is planning to set up data centres in orbit as well, which will be powered by AI and other computing resources that are located in space rather than on earth. The focus of the labs is not only restricted to please government initiatives but will also cater to private organisations.

After a demonstration mission with ISRO, the startup plans to launch two operational satellites. Looking ahead, Samantray hopes that successful implementation will make space research more accessible globally, opening up new possibilities for education and innovation.