The Skolkovo Foundation has awarded a 150 million ruble grant to its resident space startup Dauria Satellite Technology to develop an Earth-observation satellite.
The company is a subsidiary of Skolkovo partner Dauria Aerospace, and will use the cash injection announced this week to realize its Auriga project.
Auriga is a next-generation satellite Earth-observation system that provides high-resolution imaging of the planet for natural resource management, precision farming and other industries that require multispectral images.
An artist's impression of the Auriga satellite. Photo: Dauria Aerospace
“It’s the perfect example of how a Skolkovo grant can stimulate the creation of new products and new technologies in the space sector,” said Mikhail Kokorich, the founder of parent company Dauria Aerospace.
To receive a Skolkovo grant, residents must raise the same amount or more from an investor. In this case, Dauria Aerospace is providing an additional 170 million rubles to bring the overall cost of the project to 320 million rubles, or $8.3 million, Kokorich said.
Kokorich revealed that Skolkovo had turned down an initial request for a grant due to insufficient preparations.
The grant came along at a time when other avenues of financing were being closed off, Kokorich said. The company produced a prototype on its on dime, which was enough to persuade the foundation to award one of the biggest grants in Russia’s budding new space industry, he added.
Dauria founder Mikhail Kokorich
“Skolkovo’s support is genuinely important,” he said.
Auriga is Dauria Satellite Technology’s fourth commercial satellite project. All four are named after constellations.