In a recent conversation with Indian Startup Times, Chiranjeevi Phanindra shared how leaving a 14-year career at ISRO was not a move driven by dissatisfaction, but by urgency.

Having led critical responsibilities on some of India’s most prestigious missions, including Chandrayaan and Gaganyaan, Phanindra was deeply fulfilled as a space engineer. But one problem kept pulling at him: space debris. As he studied existing mitigation solutions, their limitations became impossible to ignore. The risks were growing faster than the technology designed to address them.

“That’s when I realised the need for something fundamentally new,” he says. “Protecting our orbital future couldn’t wait.”

That conviction led him to found Cosmoserve Space, a deep-tech startup focused on autonomous robotic spacecraft designed to actively remove space debris and enable long-term orbital sustainability.

Engineering Foundations That Encourage Questioning

Phanindra’s problem-solving approach is deeply rooted in his academic journey at IIT Kanpur and IIT Madras, where he developed strong technical fundamentals and, more importantly, a habit of questioning assumptions.

“At IITs, you’re trained to never accept things at face value,” he explains.

That mindset was later sharpened at ISRO, where real-world missions demanded planning for not just known variables, but unknown ones as well. Designing systems that could survive uncertainty became second nature, a skill that now defines Cosmoserve Space’s engineering philosophy.

Human Spaceflight and the Wake-Up Call on Debris

Working on Gaganyaan, India’s human spaceflight mission, was a turning point. Crew safety allows zero margin for error, yet even the relatively safer 400 km orbit is increasingly threatened by debris.

“Space debris is no longer a distant concern,” Phanindra says. “It’s already affecting the orbits we depend on most.”

The realization was stark: if the problem isn’t solved now, future generations may lose safe access to space altogether. That belief shifted his focus from exploration alone to sustainability.

A Global Problem Demands Global Thinking

As Deputy Project Director for Gaganyaan, Phanindra worked closely with multiple international space agencies. Those collaborations shaped his worldview.

“Space has no borders,” he says. “And sustainability is the one goal that unites every spacefaring nation.”

His experience at global platforms like the Interagency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) reinforced that momentum was building worldwide. Governments are enforcing stricter post-mission disposal rules, zero-debris policies are becoming standard, and in-orbit servicing technologies are being fast-tracked.

“These are strong tailwinds,” he notes. “They’re accelerating the entire space sustainability ecosystem.”

Why the Space Debris Crisis Is Urgent

The scale of the problem is alarming. Over the last 68 years, around 20,000 objects have been launched into orbit, resulting in 650 recorded collisions. Each collision creates thousands of debris pieces, and millions of smaller fragments.

With 50,000 more objects expected to launch in the next five years, the situation is approaching a tipping point.

“At orbital speeds of 28,000 km/h, even a small fragment can be catastrophic,” Phanindra explains. “Innovative technology is no longer optional, it’s the only way forward.”

Cosmoserve Space’s Vision: Autonomous Cleanup at Scale

Cosmoserve Space is built around a clear vision: a debris-free orbital environment that ensures sustainable access to space.

Ground-controlled decisions are simply too slow for debris removal. That’s why Cosmoserve is developing fully autonomous robotic spacecraft, known as Revivers, supported by a Mothercraft that enables in-orbit refueling and extended missions.

Autonomy allows these systems to detect, approach, capture, and deorbit dead satellites without human intervention, crucial at the speeds and conditions of space.

Inspired by Nature, Built for Space

What truly differentiates Cosmoserve’s technology is its capture mechanism.

Most existing debris-removal solutions rely on custom docking plates or hard points—features absent on fragmented or legacy debris. Cosmoserve’s approach is radically different.

Inspired by the Venus flytrap, its spacecraft uses four independently controlled, flexible robotic arms that can envelop objects of any size or shape. Just as the plant snaps shut on prey, the system securely captures debris, no prior modifications required.

“It can grab anything in space,” Phanindra says simply.

The Real Challenges of Building Deep-Tech from India

Building a space startup is never easy, and space debris adds an extra layer of skepticism. Convincing stakeholders that debris removal is both necessary and commercially viable took time.

“Deep-tech requires patience,” he admits. “Every day brings new technical surprises.”

But resilience has become the team’s greatest strength. Problems are treated not as setbacks, but as stepping stones toward breakthroughs.

Policy, Markets, and a New Space Economy

Global policy shifts are now creating real market demand. Regulations like the U.S. 5-year deorbit rule are forcing satellite operators to plan end-of-life disposal seriously.

“These policies are unlocking a massive active debris removal market,” Phanindra says.

Governments set the rules. Private companies and startups build the solutions. Together, they’re shaping a new space economy where sustainability is non-negotiable.

India’s Opportunity in In-Orbit Servicing

India’s decision to open its space sector to private players in 2020 mirrors the U.S. transformation a decade earlier. While over 100 global companies now work on in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing (ISAM), India still has only a handful.

“That will change,” Phanindra believes. “And when it does, Indian startups can lead—especially in sustainability.”

Milestones and Global Partnerships Ahead

In the next 3–5 years, Cosmoserve Space aims to deploy 10 pairs of Mothercraft–Reviver satellites, clearing 1,000 dead objects from congested orbits.

Collaboration remains central to this vision. The company has already signed an MoU with Dawn Aerospace, a Dutch leader in space refueling, with more partnerships in the pipeline.

Fueling the Vision: $3.17M in Seed Funding

Cosmoserve Space recently raised $3.17 million in seed funding from investors including Alan Rutledge, Ram Shriram (early Google investor), AUM Ventures, and Shakti VC.

Investors were convinced by three factors: the massive scale of the debris problem, Cosmoserve’s proprietary autonomous robotic platforms, and the team’s deep technical expertise.

The funding has accelerated development dramatically, moving technology from TRL 1 to TRL 8, expanding the team to 15 engineers, advancing soft-robotic capture systems, and validating missions through prototypes.

The next milestone: an in-space demonstration, followed by multiple technology missions in 2026.

Advice for Scientists Turning Entrepreneurs

For researchers and engineers looking to build space-tech startups, Phanindra offers grounded advice:

“Question everything. Keep learning relentlessly. Build products that people will pay for, not just the most elegant solutions. And don’t fear failure; it’s the best teacher you’ll ever have.”

For Cosmoserve Space, the mission is clear: clean today’s orbits so tomorrow’s explorers still have a place to go.

Interview Conducted By: Arushi Agarwal