EON Space Labs Flies MIRA Payload on SpaceX Falcon 9, Plans Rs 40 Crore Series A1

Hyderabad-based EON Space Labs has crossed a defining milestone: its flagship earth-observation payload, MIRA, reached orbit aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 Transporter-18 mission on October 2, 2026, with first images expected within about 10 days. The company has secured an Indian patent for MIRA, and says more than 90% of its components are built domestically.

Co-founder and COO Punit Badeka frames the launch as proof of indigenous capability — designed and manufactured in India. The startup's portfolio spans three segments: space (earth-observation payloads), aerial (electro-optical/infrared systems for drones, including its Lumira range) and ground (surveillance and counter-drone systems). It is working with more than seven space companies, has fielded inbound interest from around 120 companies for its aerial payloads, and works with about 12 companies in the ground segment.

Two developments underline the demand: a handheld imaging system developed through iDEX, combining short-wave and long-wave infrared with a conventional day camera using germanium-free lenses manufactured in India (cutting lead times from six months to six weeks), which has been trialled aboard Indian Navy ships and identified vessels at around 30 km; and payload orders from Orbited Labs (for an SSLV mission) and Kepler Aerospace, which placed an order worth around Rs 6–7 crore for an iDEX programme and a planned bulk satellite constellation.

The startup is now preparing to raise around Rs 40 crore in a Series A1 round to fund international commercialisation of its aerial products, its own payload launches, R&D, and a cleanroom facility for precision optics. Its optics are currently manufactured by strategic investor Hind High Vacuum (HHV), with plans to bring ultra-precision manufacturing in-house in Hyderabad.