NEXT SPACEFLIGHT

Status

Space MAITRI

Launch Time
NET 1st Quarter, 2026

Rocket

SSLV
Image Credit: ISRO
ISRO
Status: Active
Payload to LEO: 500 kg
Stages: 4
Strap-ons: 0
Rocket Height: 34.0 m
Fairing Diameter: 2.0 m

Mission Details

Space MAITRI

Space Machines Company (SMC)'s second Optimus Orbital Transfer Vehicle (OTV), will launch on a mission designated Space MAITRI (Mission for Australia-India’s Technology, Research and Innovation). The mission will focus on debris management and sustainability, and will significantly advance Australia’s domestic space industry by combining Australian spacecraft capabilities with India's launch expertise.

After separation, Optimus will perform a series of propulsive on-orbit maneuvers to inspect a space object in close proximity. It will then spend several months on orbit examining space debris to demonstrate affordable and accessible space sustainability technologies.

Total Mass: 450.0 kg

Location

First Launch Pad, Satish Dhawan Space Centre, India