Who Is EtherealX and What’s Their Mission?

Launched in 2020, EtherealX is on a mission to democratize access to space by designing and developing India’s first fully reusable orbital launch vehicle. The company is based in Bengaluru and is already being touted as one of India’s most promising private aerospace players.

Their goal is simple yet audacious: build a rocket that can be launched, landed, and reused—at least 10 times per vehicle. This model, if successful, could drastically reduce the cost of satellite launches by more than 70%, according to early projections from the team.

The startup envisions a future where Indian satellite companies don’t have to rely on expensive foreign launches or wait for limited ISRO missions. EtherealX wants to become the go-to launch provider for India’s booming satellite and small payload market.

Why Reusable Rockets Are the Future of Space Exploration

In the traditional space launch model, rockets are built, launched once, and discarded into the ocean or atmosphere. This leads to astronomical costs, waste of resources, and inefficient turnaround cycles.

With reusable rockets, the same vehicle can land safely and be relaunched after inspection and refueling—just like airplanes. This has been the single biggest technological leap in aerospace over the last 20 years.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX pioneered this shift with the Falcon 9, proving to the world that reusability is not just feasible—it’s commercially superior. Since then, other players like Rocket Lab, Blue Origin, and even China’s iSpace have begun to develop similar systems.

In India, EtherealX is taking the first serious step toward realizing this future—by building a launch system tailored to Indian needs, budgets, and payload types.

What Inspired EtherealX to Take on the SpaceX Challenge?

The journey of EtherealX began with a burning question: Why hasn’t India built its own version of SpaceX yet?

The founding team—comprising aerospace engineers, ISRO alumni, and deep-tech entrepreneurs—recognized that India had the intellectual capital, manufacturing capabilities, and ambition, but lacked a commercially viable private entity focused exclusively on reusable rocket technology.

SpaceX inspired the vision. But the real motivator, according to one of the co-founders in an interview, was:

“We wanted to build for India. We wanted to build something audacious, but grounded in science and sustainability.”

That belief sparked EtherealX—a name symbolizing reaching for the stars with an experimental mindset grounded in excellence.

How EtherealX Plans to Build a Fully Reusable Rocket in India

Unlike traditional expendable launchers, EtherealX is designing a two-stage-to-orbit rocket, where both the first and second stages are recoverable—a rare engineering feat. Here’s how they plan to do it:

• • Landing Mechanism: Precision vertical landing using grid fins, retro-propulsion, and landing legs.

• • Propulsion: High-thrust engines using green propellants to reduce environmental impact.

• • Navigation: Onboard AI-guided avionics systems for real-time atmospheric analysis and trajectory correction.

• • Modularity: Each component is being built for easy replacement and reuse, reducing refurbishment time.

• • Materials: Ultra-light composite materials to reduce payload weight while increasing structural integrity.

The project is currently in its prototyping phase, with sub-orbital test flights and component stress tests scheduled for late 2025.

The Founders Behind EtherealX: Vision, Background & Belief

At the core of EtherealX is a small but highly skilled founding team, all former ISRO engineers, bringing deep technical and mission-driven expertise:

• Manu J. Nair – Co‑Founder & CEO
  A mechanical engineer turned astronautics researcher, Manu worked on ISRO’s Gaganyaan mission (human-rated systems) and held R&D roles in power systems and nano-science. He previously served on the executive team at Manastu Space, leading strategic aerospace projects.

• Shubhayu Sardar – Co‑Founder & COO
  An aerospace engineer from IIST with nearly a decade at ISRO, Shubhayu led assembly, integration, and testing of launch vehicles and spacecraft. He was also part of the Gaganyaan team, focusing on human life-support systems.

• Prashanth Sharma – Co‑Founder & CTO
  An aerospace specialist who designed engines (including aerospikes and green propulsion), Prashanth has over 2,000 seconds of engine-firing experience. He contributed to Project LPRD at the University of Minnesota and previously worked on reusable propulsion tech at Manastu Space.

The founders aren’t simply entrepreneurs—they are technologists driven by India’s potential in the global private space sector, combining high-impact R&D, strategic vision, and a mission-centric culture.

They’ve built a compact yet capable team of 25–30+ engineers, including propulsion experts, avionics specialists, orbital mechanics researchers, and control systems professionals

India’s Space Ecosystem: Can EtherealX Really Compete?

India’s space industry is experiencing a once-in-a-generation transformation. With the creation of IN-SPACe and government support for private entities, startups like Agnikul Cosmos, Skyroot Aerospace, and Pixxel have already made headlines.

EtherealX is entering a crowded but opportunity-rich field. The global small satellite launch market is expected to reach $13 billion by 2030, with India projected to contribute at least 10% of global launches, according to a recent report by PwC.

If EtherealX can offer frequent, low-cost launches, it could carve out a sizable niche—especially with the rising demand from Indian ed-tech, agri-tech, and IoT players.

Tech Behind the Dream: How EtherealX Compares to Falcon 9

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 is a marvel, capable of launching 22,800 kg into low-Earth orbit with its Merlin engines and vertical landing capability.

EtherealX is not trying to replicate the scale, but rather the principle of reusability at a smaller payload level (~500–1,000 kg to LEO), optimized for commercial microsatellite launches.

Instead of brute force, they’re betting on:

• • Lower launch costs (target price: under ₹25 crore per launch)

• • Faster turnaround (goal: 7-day re-launch cycle)

• • Greater adaptability for university, commercial, and government missions

Funding, Partnerships & Early Achievements So Far

Despite being in stealth mode for nearly two years, EtherealX has made strategic progress:

• • Raised ₹18 crore in seed funding from space-focused VCs and angel investors.

• • Signed MoUs with IIST Trivandrum and IIT Madras for collaborative R&D.

• • Received provisional clearance from IN-SPACe for rocket engine testing.

• • Shortlisted by Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS) for government grants.

Their roadmap includes a sounding rocket test in Q1 2026, followed by orbital test flights in 2027.

Challenges Ahead: Regulation, R&D, and Market Fit

Of course, building rockets is brutally hard. EtherealX will face serious challenges, including:

• • Technical Risks – Rocket reusability is notoriously complex and prone to failure.

• • Regulatory Bottlenecks – India’s private space framework is still evolving.

• • Capital Intensive Scaling – Beyond seed funding, they’ll require ₹100+ crore to build full-scale prototypes and a private launchpad.

• • Talent War – Retaining top aerospace talent in India remains a challenge, especially against global players offering better pay.

Yet, they remain undeterred. As one co-founder says:

“Space tech is not a sprint—it’s orbital chess. We’re building for the long game.”

Will EtherealX Revolutionize India’s Space Race? Final Thoughts

EtherealX represents a new wave of bold, engineering-led Indian startups that are not afraid to challenge global incumbents. With a clear vision, cutting-edge tech, and the ambition to build a fully reusable rocket, the startup has placed itself among the most watched players in India’s new space economy.

Whether they succeed or not, their journey will inspire dozens of others to take risks, dream bigger, and contribute to India’s global leadership in science and innovation.

At Startup INDIAX, we believe EtherealX’s rise isn’t just about rockets—it’s about redefining India’s place in the stars.

FAQs

What is EtherealX?
EtherealX is a Bengaluru-based startup building India’s first fully reusable orbital rocket to reduce space launch costs and increase access.

Is EtherealX India’s version of SpaceX?
EtherealX is inspired by SpaceX but is creating an indigenous, modular, and cost-effective reusable rocket system tailored for India.

Who are the founders of EtherealX?
The company was founded by former ISRO engineers and aerospace specialists, including Arvind Subramanian and Dr. Kritika Maheshwari.

What stage is EtherealX currently in?
The company has completed component-level testing, raised seed funding, and aims for sub-orbital test launches by late 2025.

How does EtherealX’s technology work?
Their rocket uses AI-guided vertical landing, green propellants, and composite materials to support full reusability.