EON Space Labs said its miniaturised ultra-lightweight space telescope, MIRA, has cleared thermo-vacuum testing, qualifying it for space operations in accordance with NASA standards.
The Hyderabad-based startup confirmed the milestone and said the telescope will fly on a satellite mission in December 2025 along with another Hyderabad space startup, TakeMe2Space.
The test establishes the telescope’s readiness for low Earth orbit and verifies its performance under temperature shifts, vacuum levels, and operational loads. The electro-optical payload weighs 502g and aims to support defence and commercial missions.
Co-founder Sanjay Kumar said, “This is a truly defining moment for us. Space-grade certification proves that ultra-complex, high-precision imaging platforms can now be built and certified entirely from within India.”
This development comes just after the startup raised $1.2 million in a pre-series A funding round in August this year. This was led by MGF Kavachh, with HHV Advanced Technologies joining as an investor and strategic partner.
Along with MIRA, the funding was announced to support the manufacturing of electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) payloads and the expansion of EON’s engineering team.
The tests took place at an NABL-accredited facility in Ahmedabad. Conditions included vacuum levels below 10⁻⁵ torr and temperature swings from −20°C to +60°C. The telescope also ran imaging and telemetry tasks with an onboard computer, replicating orbital conditions.
“MIRA enables the highest-quality imagery at a fraction of traditional size and weight limitations,” said co-founder Punit Badeka. EON Space Labs is also developing its LUMIRA EO/IR aerial imaging platform for drones, UAVs, eVTOL aircraft and fixed-wing systems.
As the startup aims to build dual-use optical systems for space and aerial missions, co-founder, Manoj Kumar Gaddam, added that the company’s optical and AI-enabled stack aligns with space conditions.
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