Spacetech startup Aule Space secured $2 Mn (approximately INR 18 Cr) in a pre-seed funding round spearheaded by deeptech-centric VC firm pi Ventures, alongside participation from angel investors such as Tonbo Imaging CEO Arvind Lakshmikumar and former Intelsat board member Eash Sundaram.

With the new funding, Aule Space intends to grow its engineering team, construct ground-based docking and testing facilities, and create its initial demonstration satellite, planned for launch next year. The startup stated that the demonstration will act as validation for its docking technology.

Established in 2024 by Jay Panchal, Nithyaa Giri, and Hrishit Tambi, Aule Space is developing autonomous satellites capable of docking with and servicing other satellites in orbit.

These would connect to current satellites and serve as a new propulsion mechanism to maintain their functionality for an extended period.

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According to the startup, satellites positioned in geostationary orbit valued at over $100 billion are anticipated to cease revenue generation because of fuel exhaustion. Aule asserts that its jetpack satellites can prolong the lifespan of these assets by as much as six years by stabilizing their orbital position.

“There is currently no servicing infrastructure available in space.” When a $300-500 million satellite depletes its fuel, it is merely disposed of, despite its electronics being capable of functioning for several more years. "We're working to alter that," Panchal stated.

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The startup is primarily focusing on geostationary communication (GEO) satellites, which are some of the priciest and most lucrative assets in space. These satellites typically share a similar design, enabling Aule to create a standardized docking system that is compatible with the majority of them.

Aule’s primary strength is in rendezvous, proximity operations, and docking (RPOD), which enables one satellite to securely approach, navigate around, and physically connect to another object in space.

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Beyond commercial use cases, the startup is also seeing defence interest in its tech, particularly for satellite inspection and space security.