As space becomes increasingly crowded, the invisible threat of orbital debris is turning into one of the biggest challenges for the global space ecosystem. Hyderabad-based space tech start-up Cosmoserve Space, founded by Dr Chiranjeevi Phanindra, former ISRO scientist and deputy project director of the Gaganyaan mission, is stepping in with a bold solution. Having recently raised $3.17 million in an oversubscribed pre-seed round,the company is developing autonomous robotic spacecraft to capture and remove space debris. In conversation with CE, Dr Phanindra speaks about the urgency of the debris problem, the technology behind Cosmoserve, and India’s growing role in building a sustainable future in space.
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What motivated you to enter the field of space debris mitigation?
I was a member of the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC), which consists of 13 space agencies from across the world. We would come together to discuss the space debris problem and provide both regulatory and technological guidelines to the United Nations, which are then adopted by individual countries as rules. Through this work, I realised that space debris is a massive, unsolved problem, with very limited solutions available today. That’s when I began brainstorming ways to address it. Once I understood that what we could build had the potential to be truly revolutionary, I decided to move out of ISRO and start Cosmoserve Space. Our vision is simple but crucial: to create a sustainable space environment for future generations, so that they can use space just as freely as we do today.
How serious and urgent is the space debris problem today?
If you look at the numbers, there are around 50,000 objects larger than 10 centimetres currently orbiting Earth, and nearly 140 million smaller objects. Out of all this, only about 12,000 are operational satellites. The rest is junk. This debris is uncontrollable. It can collide with operational satellites or other debris, creating even more fragments. This cascading effect is known as the ‘Kessler Syndrome’. If it reaches a tipping point, space could become unusable. What makes this more urgent is that in the last 67 years, we launched about 20,000 objects into space. Now, we’re talking about launching nearly 50,000 satellites in just the next five years due to lower launch costs and increasing space-based applications. The problem is going to grow exponentially if we don’t intervene now.
You’ve spent over a decade at ISRO and worked closely on the Gaganyaan mission. How did that experience shape Cosmoserve?
I spent 14 years at ISRO, with the last six at the Human Space Flight Centre, which was newly formed for the Gaganyaan programme. A small team of around 25 people, handpicked from across ISRO centres, worked on it, and I served as the deputy project director. We were building entirely new systems — like the Environmental Control and Life Support System — technologies that even ISRO hadn’t developed before. I also worked on space debris protection for human capsules. This role gave me the opportunity to represent India at the IADC and collaborate with agencies like Roscosmos, CNES (France), DLR (Germany), JAXA (Japan), KARI (Korea) and others. Visiting these facilities and building systems from scratch that are now flight-ready gave me deep confidence in developing complex, first-of-its-kind technologies — an experience that directly influences how we’re building Cosmoserve.
How does Cosmoserve’s debris removal technology differ from what global players are doing?
Most existing solutions rely on what’s called a ‘prepared target’. For example, companies like Astroscale require satellites to be launched with special adaptors so they can later dock magnetically and deorbit them. Our approach is very different. We’re developing technology to capture unprepared, non-cooperative targets — objects that weren’t designed to be removed. Our inspiration comes from nature, particularly the Venus flytrap. Just like how the plant closes its flaps when an insect enters, we’re building biomimetic soft robotic arms with a high degree of freedom. These can adapt to objects of any shape or size and ‘hug’ them securely, enabling capture anytime, anywhere in space.
Could you explain the core technology behind your autonomous robotic spacecraft?
There are two key proprietary elements we’re developing, for which we’re filing patents. The first is the soft robotic capture system. The second is satellite intelligence — algorithms for guidance, navigation and control. Using onboard sensors, our spacecraft can autonomously approach a target, identify it, and capture it without external intervention. For our first mission, we’re collaborating on the satellite bus and propulsion systems, as these are already proven technologies. We’re focusing our in-house efforts on what truly differentiates us: robotics and autonomous intelligence.
What are the biggest engineering challenges in building such systems, and how are you addressing them?
One major challenge is approaching a non-cooperative, non-communicating target. However, during my time at ISRO, we successfully conducted space docking experiments, where two satellites autonomously docked and undocked in orbit. That experience feeds directly into our current work. We’re also learning from autonomous systems on Earth, such as self-driving cars, and adapting similar navigation concepts for space. It’s about integrating proven ideas from different domains into a new, orbital context.
You recently raised one of the largest pre-seed rounds in Indian space tech. How will the funding be utilised?
The primary focus is on team building, technology development, and validation. We aim to complete ground demonstrations by December 2025, followed by an in-space demonstration by December 2026. The funding supports everything from R&D and testing to taking our technology to orbit.
How do you see collaborations with ISRO, global agencies, and private satellite operators evolving?
Post the space sector reforms of 2020 and 2023, ISRO now actively supports private players through technology transfer and access to testing facilities at nominal costs. Globally, agencies like the UK Space Agency, Japanese government, and the US are actively pushing debris mitigation. At the same time, satellite constellation operators are under pressure due to stricter regulations — like the US reducing satellite deorbit timelines from 25 years to just five. They need service providers like us to help them comply.
How deeply are AI and sensor fusion embedded in your systems?
They’re absolutely central. We work with sensor fusion and machine learning models that can identify objects under varying lighting and reflection conditions. We train these models using simulation data as well as real images captured in test facilities that mimic different orbital environments. This hybrid approach helps us build robust AI systems for space.
What opportunities do you see in India’s rapidly evolving private space ecosystem?
India currently holds about 2 per cent of the global space economy, and the goal is to reach 10 per cent by 2030. Start-ups like ours play a crucial role in commercialising Indian space technologies and taking that share forward. The government’s support has been instrumental in enabling this transition.
What does sustainability in space mean to Cosmoserve?
True sustainability has two aspects. One is actively removing existing debris, which is our first mission. The second is preventing operational satellites from becoming debris, through servicing and refuelling to extend their lifespan. Both are essential to maintaining a usable orbital environment.
What’s next on Cosmoserve Space’s roadmap?
We’re currently at Technology Readiness Level 4. Our immediate goal is to reach TRL 7 through ground testing by 2025, followed by a full in-space demonstration. Once we test our system in orbit, we’ll uncover many unknowns that can only be understood in space. That learning will define our next phase. For now, demonstrating our technology in orbit is our most critical milestone.