Gandhinagar: Azista BST Aerospace, a Gujarat-based aerospace company successfully launched its first satellite, Azista BST Aerospace First Runner (AFR), also known as ABA First Runner. The satellite was launched aboard a Falcon 9 rocket as part of Elon Musk-led SpaceX Transporter-8 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

Azista BST Aerospace is a joint venture between India’s Azista Industries Pvt. Ltd (70% stake) and Berlin Space Technologies GmbH (30% stake).

The AFR satellite is equipped with an optical remote sensing payload capable of panchromatic and multispectral imaging. It can provide high-resolution panchromatic images with a resolution of 5 meters and a swath of 70 km. It is the first satellite of its size and performance built by the private space industry in India, capable of supporting various critical applications for civilian and defense purposes, said the company statement.