SpaceX successfully launched Dhruva Space's LEAP-1 mission on August 27, 2025, aboard a Falcon 9 rocket, from Vandenberg Space Force Base, marking Dhruva Space's first full-stack commercial satellite mission with payloads from Australian firms Akula Tech and Esper Satellites.

Two Australian-developed payloads, the Akula Tech Nexus-01 and Esper Satellites OTR-2, were deployed. These payloads were hosted on Dhruva Space's indigenous P-30 satellite platform

The mission utilises the hosted payload model, allowing for cost-effective deployment of multiple smaller payloads on a single satellite.

LEAP-1 was deployed into a Sun-synchronous orbit as planned for Earth observation missions.

This launch represents a major milestone for Dhruva Space in India's private space sector and is viewed as a turning point from technology demonstrations to commercial satellite deployments on a global scale with SpaceX's support.

The LEAP-1 satellite carries advanced payloads including an AI module for on-board data processing and a hyper-spectral imager for Earth observation, demonstrating novel capabilities in space-based AI and remote sensing. Dhruva Space also provides real-time mission management and ground station services to support the satellite operations.

Agencies