Two Indian space startups have joined hands to advance technology related to the removal of space debris — non-functional, human-made objects, such as defunct satellites.

Bengaluru-based spacecraft manufacturer Pixxel will provide a satellite bus to Hyderabad-based space start-up Cosmoserve for its upcoming mission, the companies announced on Tuesday.

A satellite bus or satellite platform is the main body of the satellite that provides essential services to the payload and enables the mission objectives.

Pixxel founder and CEO Awais Ahmed, in a statement, said, "At Pixxel, we believe that responsible access to space requires active stewardship of the orbital environment. Partnering with Cosmoserve on this demonstration mission is a natural extension of our commitment to building a sustainable future in space."

Under the partnership, Pixxel's satellite bus will serve as the foundational platform on which Cosmoserve will integrate and demonstrate its proprietary debris capture and removal systems in orbit.

Dr Chiranjeevi Phanindra B, founder and CEO of Cosmoserve Space, in a statement, said, "With the successful deployment and operation of six Firefly satellites, Pixxel brings exactly the engineering rigour and innovation we were looking for. This partnership gives Cosmoserve the confidence to execute our demonstration mission with a higher probability of success."

Over the years, space debris has become an issue for the global space industry due to the rising number of defunct satellites and orbital debris. They can lead to accidental collisions that damage or destroy satellites, impacting essential services such as navigation and weather monitoring.