In a world racing to dominate the skies and beyond, one player has been building game-changing tech from the ground up, without much fanfare. From tinkering in labs to placing hardware aboard rockets, N Space Tech India is redefining how the nation communicates with its satellites. Behind it all is an engineer with an audacious vision for the stars: Divya Kothamasu. The co-founder and CEO of N Space Tech India decodes the world of deep tech, telling us about her journey, products, and more.
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Introduce us to N Space Tech India.
N Space Tech India is a deep-tech startup focused on aerospace, defence, and satellite technology. Established in 2020, we develop advanced RF (radio frequency) subsystems, high-performance antennas, radar systems, and small satellite payloads across HF (high frequency) to Ka-band.
Our core products include low noise amplifiers, high-power amplifiers, up and down converters, RF switches, attenuators, filters, directional couplers, and power dividers — entirely developed in-house. We also offer a wide range of antenna systems including patch, Vivaldi, log-periodic, horn, and reflect array designs. Our services include RF and antenna design, embedded software and digital design, PCB and mechanical design, and ground station operations for UHF (ultra high frequency) and X-band. Most of our work is done in-house, with launch support from partners like ISRO and Skyroot Aerospace.
Our mission is to make satellite and radar technology accessible and affordable for sectors such as defence, research, agriculture, surveillance, and communication. We aim to drive innovation through indigenous development and strengthen India’s capabilities in space and RF technologies.
Your team successfully launched the SwetchaSat-V0 payload on ISRO’s PSLV-C60/POEM-4 mission in December 2024. What were the key technical challenges in developing the UHF communication module?
Developing the UHF communication module for the SwetchaSat-V0 payload involved several critical challenges. Operating in space meant dealing with radiation, temperature extremes, and vacuum conditions that could affect signal performance. We addressed this through in-house testing and shielding to ensure signal integrity. Miniaturisation was another major hurdle, as the module had to meet tight size and weight constraints. Our team designed a compact and efficient system using high-performance components without compromising on reliability. Power management was also crucial, given the limited energy available on the POEM-4 platform. We optimised power consumption through custom solutions tailored for the mission’s duration.
Ensuring compatibility with ISRO’s ISTRAC ground stations required precise frequency alignment and data formatting. This was achieved through close collaboration and iterative testing with ISRO teams.
The entire UHF module, from design and development to integration, was built completely in-house. A proud milestone was reached on January 1, 2025, when we received the first signals from the payload through both ISTRAC’s ground station and our own, validating the performance of our indigenous communication system in orbit.
You offer design, manufacturing, and launch services for small satellites to educational institutions. Could you elaborate on this initiative?
N Space Tech is committed to making space technology accessible to educational institutions by offering affordable CubeSats and nanosatellites tailored to the needs of students, researchers, and academic programmes. The company designs and manufactures these payloads in-house, integrating subsystems such as UHF communication modules and environmental sensors, as seen in projects like SwetchaSat-V0 and LakshyaSat-2. Our ground station in Jubilee Hills includes a dedicated test lab, a Class 100,000 cleanroom, and specialised test equipment. For launches, the company collaborates with partners like ISRO and private launch providers, offering both balloon-assisted missions and orbital deployments to give students hands-on experience.
What piqued your interest in this field?
I’ve always had a deep love for science; physics was my favourite subject in school and I was fascinated by ISRO. I spent a lot of time reading astronomy and space science books, especially those by Neil deGrasse Tyson. Later, during my Master’s in Communication and Radar Systems, I attended a workshop on satellites which sparked my interest in satellite technology. Since then, my journey naturally evolved, and we began expanding into RF systems and subsystems, which now form the core of our work.
What keeps me going is when young engineers tell me they feel inspired seeing women lead in this space. In the early days, I occasionally came across assumptions about my role in technical discussions, but I was fortunate to be surrounded by mentors and peers who valued results and capability. Successes like SwetchaSat helped reinforce that, and over time, the focus naturally shifted to the quality of work rather than who was doing it. There is still a long way to go, but I am hopeful that the next generation will find an even more inclusive and supportive environment.
What do you believe this sector needs in order to unlock its full potential?
We need to make it easier for deep-tech startups to build in India. Those working on RF systems, chip design, and core hardware need better support — not just funding but also access to labs, smoother approvals, and a clear path to work with defence and space agencies. If we want to reduce foreign dependence, we must focus on designing and building chips and components within the country. It is not just about assembling products in India but about creating the core technology here. With the right push, Indian startups can lead in these critical areas.
The Union Budget 2025 emphasised increased R&D funding and policy support for the space sector. How do you plan to leverage these opportunities to scale N Space Tech’s operations and compete globally?
The increased R&D push is a great opportunity for us to strengthen our core work in RF systems, antennas, and satellite subsystems. We plan to tap into government support to speed up development, invest more in indigenous design, and reduce import dependency. These incentives will help us scale faster and build globally competitive, Made-in-India solutions.
What’s next?
We are making a major push this year by investing in advanced infrastructure for RF design and testing. One of our key upcoming developments is a radar system, which adds to the growing list of high-impact RF projects we’ve executed for organisations like DRDO, ISRO, BDL, BEL, NARL, and the Department of Atomic Energy. This next phase is all about scaling our capabilities and deepening our expertise in radar and RF technologies which are critical for India’s defence and space sectors.