Manastu Space: Building India’s Green Propulsion Backbone for the Satellite Age

India’s private space sector is steadily expanding beyond launch vehicles and satellite manufacturing. A new generation of companies is now developing the technologies required to keep spacecraft functioning after they reach orbit. Among them is Manastu Space Technologies, a Navi Mumbai-based space-tech company that is developing indigenous propulsion systems for satellites and launch vehicles.

The company has focused particularly on green chemical propulsion as an alternative to conventional toxic satellite propellants. Its propulsion systems are designed to support orbital manoeuvring, station-keeping, collision avoidance, controlled deorbiting and future orbital servicing missions.

Manastu has also moved beyond laboratory development. One of its propulsion systems has already been tested in space aboard an ISRO mission, giving the company valuable flight heritage.

The company therefore represents an important layer of India’s emerging private space ecosystem. Instead of building an entire satellite, Manastu develops the technology that enables a spacecraft to move, survive and eventually leave orbit safely.

From IIT Bombay to an Indian Space Propulsion Company

Manastu Space was founded in 2017 by IIT Bombay alumni Tushar Jadhav and Ashtesh Kumar.

The founders had earlier worked on Pratham, IIT Bombay’s student satellite, which was launched aboard ISRO’s PSLV-C35 mission in September 2016. Tushar Jadhav later worked with DRDO, while Ashtesh Kumar specialised in thermal and combustion engineering.

Their experience eventually led them towards one of the most critical but less visible areas of spacecraft engineering: propulsion.

Research that later formed the foundation of Manastu’s propulsion technology began in 2016. The company subsequently progressed through proof-of-concept development, ground testing and increasingly advanced propulsion demonstrations.

Its central objective was to develop an Indian alternative to traditional satellite propulsion systems that rely on hazardous chemicals.

The Problem With Conventional Satellite Propulsion

A satellite does not simply remain in the same orbit after launch. Throughout its operational life, it may need propulsion to maintain its position, correct orbital drift or move away from a potential collision.

Propulsion is equally important at the end of a satellite’s mission. A spacecraft can use its remaining fuel to lower its orbit and accelerate atmospheric re-entry, reducing the possibility that it will become long-lived space debris.

Many conventional chemical propulsion systems have historically relied on hydrazine.

Hydrazine performs well as a spacecraft propellant and can remain stored for long periods. However, it is highly toxic and requires specialised handling procedures, protective equipment and dedicated ground infrastructure.

These limitations have encouraged space agencies and private companies around the world to develop safer alternatives.

Manastu Space is working to create one such alternative in India.

MS289: Manastu’s Indigenous Green Propellant

At the heart of Manastu’s propulsion technology is its proprietary propellant known as MS289.

The company describes it as a hydrogen peroxide-based formulation combined with specialised additives. The objective is to provide reliable chemical propulsion while reducing the handling hazards associated with traditional hydrazine-based systems.

The term green propulsion does not mean that the propellant is completely harmless. Instead, it refers to propulsion technologies designed to reduce toxicity, environmental hazards and ground-handling complexity when compared with conventional high-risk fuels.

Hydrogen peroxide has been studied internationally as one possible alternative to hydrazine. Manastu’s approach involves developing not only the propellant but also the catalyst, thrusters and integrated propulsion systems required to use it effectively in space.

How Manastu’s Propulsion Systems Work

A spacecraft thruster creates controlled force that allows a satellite to alter its velocity, trajectory or orientation.

Delivering that force reliably in space is technically demanding. The propulsion system must safely store fuel for long periods, while valves and seals must continue functioning after launch vibrations, thermal cycling and prolonged exposure to vacuum.

The thruster must also ignite whenever commanded, even after remaining inactive for months.

Manastu combines its proprietary propellant with internally developed thruster and catalyst technologies. The resulting propulsion systems can support orbit correction, station-keeping, collision avoidance, controlled deorbiting and other spacecraft manoeuvres.

These capabilities allow propulsion to remain useful throughout the entire operational life of a satellite.

Vyom 2U Takes Indian Green Propulsion to Space

Manastu achieved an important milestone with its Vyom 2U propulsion system.

The technology flew aboard ISRO’s POEM-4 platform during the PSLV-C60/SpaDeX mission.

ISRO officially listed VYOM-2U among the experimental payloads carried by POEM-4 and identified Manastu Space Technologies as its developer.

According to ISRO, the experimental thruster used a monopropellant based on hydrogen peroxide and proprietary additives. The configuration was designed to generate around 1.1 newton of thrust, with a specific impulse of more than 250 seconds.

The orbital demonstration was significant because spacecraft hardware cannot be fully validated through laboratory testing alone. It must also prove that it can operate in vacuum, microgravity and the extreme thermal environment of space.

The flight therefore moved Manastu’s propulsion technology from ground qualification into actual orbital demonstration.

More Than 700 Seconds of In-Space Firing

Following the POEM-4 mission, Manastu reported that the Vyom 2U propulsion system completed more than 700 seconds of cumulative firing in space.

The company now places Vyom 2U at Technology Readiness Level 8, indicating that the technology has undergone an advanced operational demonstration.

Its commercial configuration is aimed mainly at small satellites. Manastu describes Vyom 2U as a modular propulsion unit suitable for spacecraft weighing up to approximately 100 kilograms.

Such systems could become increasingly important as India deploys more small communication, Earth observation, scientific and defence satellites.

I-Booster Targets Larger Satellites

Manastu is also developing propulsion systems for larger spacecraft.

Its I-Booster is aimed broadly at satellites in the 100 to 500 kilogram class and uses multiple thrusters for orbital manoeuvring.

The company lists collision avoidance and orbital risk reduction among its intended applications.

Manastu also delivered an I-Booster green propulsion system to DRDO in December 2024, according to the company’s official programme timeline.

This expands the possible relevance of the technology beyond commercial satellites.

For defence spacecraft, the ability to manoeuvre in orbit can improve survivability, operational flexibility and mission resilience.

Sharanga Expands Green Propulsion Into the CubeSat Segment

At the smaller end of Manastu’s product range is Sharanga, which has been designed for CubeSats and spacecraft weighing up to around 50 kilograms.

The system is intended to provide very small satellites with their own orbital manoeuvring capability.

This can significantly increase the usefulness of CubeSats. Instead of remaining permanently in the orbit where the launch vehicle deploys them, satellites equipped with propulsion can modify their trajectory, avoid collisions and perform controlled end-of-life manoeuvres.

Manastu has stated that Sharanga completed qualification testing at an IN-SPACe facility in Ahmedabad during 2025.

GP-LAM Takes the Technology Beyond Satellites

Manastu’s ambitions are not limited to small spacecraft.

Its GP-LAM propulsion system is a much larger 300-newton propulsion platform intended for launch vehicles, orbital transfer vehicles and spacecraft operating in higher orbits.

Potential applications include trajectory correction, orbital circularisation and transfer between different orbital regimes.

The programme also resulted in one of Manastu’s early international commercial opportunities.

In 2022, the company secured a contract with French launch company Latitude to develop the GP-LAM system for upper-stage auxiliary propulsion.

This indicates that Indian propulsion technology could eventually become part of spacecraft and launch vehicles manufactured outside India.

Collision Avoidance Is Becoming Increasingly Important

Satellite propulsion is becoming more important because Earth’s orbital environment is becoming increasingly crowded.

Thousands of operational satellites share space with dead spacecraft, abandoned rocket stages and fragments created by earlier collisions and break-ups.Official and Primary

Even small pieces of debris can cause serious damage because objects in Low Earth Orbit travel at extremely high relative velocities.

Satellite operators therefore receive conjunction alerts when another object is predicted to pass dangerously close to their spacecraft.

A satellite equipped with propulsion can alter its orbit to reduce the risk of collision. A spacecraft without propulsion has far fewer options.

Manastu is positioning its systems around this growing requirement for orbital mobility and collision avoidance.

Controlled Deorbiting Can Reduce Future Space Debris

Avoiding debris is only part of the problem. Satellites themselves can become dangerous debris once their missions end.

A failed spacecraft may remain in orbit for years or even decades, creating collision risks for future missions.

A functioning propulsion system can reduce this danger.

Before retirement, a satellite can use its remaining propellant to lower its orbit. Atmospheric drag can then bring it back towards Earth more quickly.

Manastu includes controlled deorbiting among the applications supported by its propulsion technology.

This capability is likely to become increasingly valuable as governments and regulators place greater emphasis on responsible end-of-life satellite disposal.

Future Role in Space-Debris Removal

Manastu also sees propulsion as part of a broader space-safety and orbital-services ecosystem.

Its long-term areas of interest include satellite refuelling, orbital mobility, deorbiting and debris-risk mitigation.

However, there is an important distinction between avoiding debris and physically removing it.

Manastu has demonstrated propulsion technology and is developing systems that could support future debris-removal spacecraft. It has not yet publicly demonstrated an operational mission that captures or removes an uncontrolled piece of space debris.

Active debris removal would require a spacecraft to approach, inspect, capture or otherwise interact with another object in orbit. Such missions are far more complex than moving a satellite away from a predicted collision.

Manastu’s propulsion technology could eventually become an important enabling system for such missions.

IN-SPACe Satellite Bus Programme Opens Another Opportunity

Manastu’s propulsion technology is also becoming part of a wider Indian satellite platform.

In 2026, a proposal involving Astrome, TakeMe2Space and Manastu Space was selected under IN-SPACe’s Satellite Bus as a Service programme.

The group is developing an indigenous satellite bus in the approximately 150-kilogram class.

TakeMe2Space is responsible for major satellite bus systems, while Astrome contributes communications technology. Manastu provides the green propulsion component.

The programme reflects an important shift within India’s private space industry.

Instead of every company attempting to build an entire spacecraft independently, specialised Indian firms are beginning to combine their technologies into integrated satellite platforms.

This is how mature aerospace supply chains are created.

Building an Indian Space Supply Chain

A modern satellite requires far more than solar panels and payload cameras.

It also depends on power electronics, communication systems, thermal control, navigation sensors, onboard computers, propulsion and attitude-control hardware.

For many emerging space nations, advanced subsystems have traditionally depended on foreign suppliers.

India’s new private space ecosystem is gradually reducing that dependence.

Companies such as Manastu are developing specialised components that other Indian satellite manufacturers can integrate into their spacecraft.

This creates a domestic supply chain while reducing exposure to export restrictions, geopolitical disruptions and long overseas procurement cycles.

For strategic and defence satellites, such technological independence can be particularly valuable.

A Deep-Technology Make in India Story

Manastu’s development is important because spacecraft propulsion cannot be built through software expertise alone.

It requires advanced knowledge of chemistry, fluid mechanics, metallurgy, combustion, precision manufacturing and thermal engineering.

Thrusters must withstand extreme temperatures, while propellants must remain stable during long storage periods.

Valves and seals must operate reliably after launch vibration and prolonged exposure to vacuum.

Catalysts must provide predictable ignition whenever the spacecraft requires a manoeuvre.

Every component must work when the satellite is hundreds of kilometres above Earth and cannot be repaired easily.

Building these capabilities within India strengthens not only one startup but also the wider national aerospace ecosystem.

From Government Support to Commercial Space

Manastu’s growth also demonstrates how government-backed innovation programmes can support Indian deep-tech companies.

The company says it received a ₹25-lakh India Innovation Growth Programme grant in 2018.

In 2020, it received recognition through DRDO’s Dare to Dream initiative and later secured work under the Technology Development Fund.

The company subsequently progressed towards commercial contracts, international partnerships and an orbital demonstration aboard an ISRO mission.

This development path shows how an Indian space startup can move from laboratory research to prototype development, ground testing, government support, commercial contracts and finally in-space validation.

Orbital Mobility Will Become a Major Part of the Space Economy

Much of the public discussion around India’s private space industry has focused on launch vehicles.

Launching a satellite, however, is only the beginning of its operational life.

Future spacecraft will increasingly need to change orbit, avoid collisions, join constellations, reposition themselves, extend operational life and safely deorbit after completing their missions.

Some may eventually need to approach other spacecraft for inspection, servicing or refuelling.

All these activities require reliable propulsion.

Companies developing orbital mobility technologies could therefore become increasingly important as the space economy matures.

From Thruster Manufacturer to Orbital Mobility Provider

Manastu’s long-term opportunity extends beyond selling individual propulsion units.

Green propulsion could become part of a broader orbital logistics ecosystem.

Future spacecraft may require repositioning, servicing, refuelling and controlled retirement. Orbital transfer vehicles could move payloads between different orbits after launch.

Inspection spacecraft may need to approach satellites for maintenance or diagnosis.

Space-debris-removal vehicles may eventually require propulsion to rendezvous with uncontrolled objects.

Each of these missions depends on reliable spacecraft mobility.

Manastu is therefore positioning itself not simply as a thruster manufacturer, but as a potential provider of technologies that enable spacecraft to move safely and efficiently after reaching orbit.

Green Propulsion Could Also Reduce Ground-Handling Costs

Safer propellants can provide advantages even before launch.

Highly toxic fuels require specialised infrastructure, extensive protective equipment and strict handling procedures.

Reducing toxicity can simplify ground operations and potentially lower processing costs.

This could become increasingly important as satellite manufacturing moves towards larger production volumes.

When companies manufacture dozens or hundreds of spacecraft, even modest reductions in processing complexity can produce substantial savings.

Indian Technology With Global Potential

Manastu’s international commercial activity shows that the market for its technology extends beyond India.

Satellite manufacturers around the world face the same basic requirements.

They need propulsion systems that are compact, reliable, efficient and safe to handle.

Operators are also facing increasing pressure to prevent orbital collisions and dispose of spacecraft responsibly at the end of their missions.

An Indian propulsion company that combines competitive manufacturing costs with proven flight heritage could therefore participate in a much larger global aerospace supply chain.

That would create another opportunity for India to export high-value space hardware rather than only launch services.

Manastu Space Moves From Experiment to Space Infrastructure

The strongest part of Manastu’s story is the progression of its technology from research towards actual space operations.

The company began propulsion research in 2016 and was founded in 2017.

It progressed through ground demonstrations, government-backed development programmes and commercial partnerships.

Its Vyom 2U system then reached orbit through ISRO’s POEM-4 platform.

By 2026, Manastu had also become part of an indigenous satellite-bus programme within the wider IN-SPACe ecosystem.

This progression reflects the changing character of Make in India in the space sector.

India is no longer developing capability only at the level of complete launch vehicles and government satellites.

A network of specialised companies is emerging underneath them.

Some companies manufacture engines, while others develop sensors, antennas, communication systems or satellite buses.

Manastu Space is building another critical layer by developing the propulsion and orbital-mobility systems that allow spacecraft to manoeuvre, avoid collisions and safely complete their missions.

As Earth’s orbital environment becomes more crowded, the ability to move a satellite safely may eventually become as important as the ability to launch it.

---

References

ISRO: POEM-4 payload documentation for the PSLV-C60/SpaDeX mission confirms Manastu Space’s VYOM-2U green propulsion experiment and its hydrogen peroxide-based formulation.

Manastu Space Technologies: Official company information provides details on MS289, Vyom 2U, I-Booster, Sharanga, GP-LAM, deorbiting and collision-avoidance applications.

Press Information Bureau / Department of Space: Government information provides wider context on India’s private space startup ecosystem and the development of indigenous satellite platforms.

NASA and European Space Agency: Technical material from both agencies provides background on hydrazine toxicity and the international transition towards lower-toxicity spacecraft propellants.

---