What HEX20 does

HEX20 is a privately held small satellite company founded in 2020 and headquartered in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India, with additional offices in Lafayette (Colorado, USA), Abu Dhabi (UAE, Masdar Free Zone), and Taoyuan City (Taiwan). The company designs and builds modular, scalable, reconfigurable satellite platforms spanning 3U/4U CubeSats (AX-03), 6U/8U CubeSats (AX-06), 12U/16U CubeSats (AX-12), and 50-200 kg MicroSats (NX-50, DINK-N), plus a 16U-class LEO hosted-payload platform (MAYA-V1). Underlying technology centers on a proprietary NX spacecraft bus with defense-grade subsystems including a RISC-V based Command and Data Handling module (E51 core, 625 MHz, 1GB LPDDR4), an MPPT-based Electrical Power Subsystem (EPS 168, 16.8V bus), GaInP/GaAs/Ge solar panels (29.5% BOL efficiency), a UHF/VHF transceiver, and a radiation-tolerant star tracker with ~16 arcsecond pointing accuracy. Supporting infrastructure includes the FlatSat hardware-in-the-loop testbed, AWS cloud integration, and ground station partnerships with KSAT and Leafspace.

The company operates five revenue streams: (1) standardized payload hosting starting at $150K per U with 2026-2027 manifest slots for 1U-12U payloads; (2) full Mission-as-a-Service engagements for 3U-27U nano-satellites and 50-200 kg micro-satellites, including spacecraft registration and frequency licensing; (3) direct sales of pre-configured satellite platforms via an online configurator; (4) Ground System-as-a-Service providing TT&C operations; and (5) the XORBIT university training program in partnership with LASP at CU Boulder and NCU Taiwan. Customer segments span academic institutions, commercial operators, government space agencies, and defense organizations. The UAE TII/UAESA Emirates Asteroid Impactor Mission (2028-2035) and partnerships with Mission Space, Transcelestial, and ispace indicate engagement in LEO constellations, cislunar services, and deep-space exploration. The company is founder-owned, with no disclosed external institutional funding.

Name

HEX20

Legal name

HEX20

Website

https://hex20.space

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

HEX20 designs and builds modular CubeSat and MicroSat platforms (3U to 200 kg) and offers payload hosting, mission-as-a-service, and ground systems for academic, commercial, government, and defense customers across India, the US, UAE, and Taiwan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Small Satellite Platforms and Mission Services

NAICS

Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing (336414), Other Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336419), Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)

SIC

Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760)

akta.pro primary industry

Spacecraft & Satellites (Civil/Commercial) (IMABACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Space Payloads & Instruments (Sensors, Comms, EO/IR) (IMABACAD), Spacecraft Avionics, Flight Computers & Software (IMABACAI), Space Logistics & In-Orbit Servicing (Refueling, Tug, Debris Removal) (IMABACAM), Satellite Ground Segment & Gateway Services (Teleports, Gateways, Ground Station-as-a-Service) (HDAIAJAH)

Keywords

• Small satellite platforms
• CubeSat buses
• Payload hosting services
• Mission-as-a-service
• Satellite subsystems

Headquarters

HQ city

Trivandrum

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Payload Hosting Services: HEX20 offers payload host services starting at 150K USD per U (10cm x 10cm x 10cm). Price includes payload integration and testing, in-orbit power, commissioning, and preliminary data downlink. Monthly data services charges are extra depending on data volume. Payload hosting available for 2026 and 2027 for 1U to 12U size payloads. Lunar payload services available through ispace partnership for up to 3U payload volume.
2. Mission-as-a-Service: Comprehensive mission services from concept to orbital data including design, build, integrate, test, launch and operate services. Nano-satellite missions from 3U to 27U, MicroSat from 50kg to 200kg. HEX20 handles spacecraft registration and frequency license filing.
3. Satellite Platform Sales: Sale of pre-configured satellite platforms including AX-03 (3U/4U), AX-06 (6U/8U), AX-12 (12U/16U), and NX-50 MicroSat. Platforms include flight-proven subsystems with configurable options.
4. Training Services (XORBIT Program): Accelerated space programme for universities providing hands-on training in satellite technology. Eight-milestone program covering mission planning, design, engineering model development, flight model testing, and post-launch operations.
5. Ground System-as-a-Service: Ground station infrastructure services for end-to-end mission operations including VHF/UHF communication systems for telemetry, tracking, and command operations. Supports pre-launch testing, LEOP, and sustained mission operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

HEX20 designs, manufactures, and sells modular small satellite platforms (CubeSat buses from 3U to 16U and MicroSat buses from 50kg to 200kg) along with standalone satellite subsystems such as Command and Data Handling modules, Electrical Power Systems, battery packs, transceivers, solar panels, and a star tracker. The company complements its hardware with turnkey mission services including Mission-as-a-Service, payload hosting, ground-station-as-a-service, lunar payload services via ispace, and the XORBIT university training program. Customers include universities, commercial space firms, and government/defense agencies across India, the USA, UAE, and Taiwan.

Product overview

HEX20 is a payload-agnostic small satellite company offering scalable satellite platforms and turnkey solutions for academic, commercial, and government missions in LEO, cislunar, and deep-space. The product portfolio centers on modular CubeSat bus platforms (AX-03 3U/4U, AX-06 6/8U, AX-12 12/16U, NX-50 MicroSat) and comprehensive subsystems including Command and Data Handling (AX/NX variants), Electrical Power Systems (EPS 840/168), Battery Packs (100W/150W), UHF-VHF Transceiver, and Solar Panels. The company also offers specialized products including a radiation-tolerant Star Tracker, FlatSat hardware-in-the-loop testbed, and the MAYA-V1 hosted-payload platform. Service offerings encompass Mission as a Service (3U-27U nano-satellite and 50-200kg micro-sat), Ground System as a Service with TT&C capabilities, Payload Hosting (from 150K USD per U), Lunar Orbiter Payload Services (via ispace partnership), and the XORBIT university training program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AX-03 Satellite Platform

Quantifiable outcome

• Mission life exceeding one year for MAYA-V1 platform
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Mission SpacecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 May 2026Mission Space flies its fourth in-orbit space weather payload aboard HEX20's MAYA-V1 mission. The mission supports Mission Space's in-orbit roadmap toward deploying a distributed, multi-point measurement network for space weather monitoring.
• TranscelestialcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2026Transcelestial is partnering with satellite firms including Gilmour Space, ST Engineering, and HEX20 to build a space-based laser communications network and LEO ring constellation within two years. HEX20 provides satellite platform infrastructure for laser communication terminals.
• ispacecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough partnership with ispace, HEX20 offers payload host services for up to 3U of payload volume on lunar orbiter platform, enabling customers to access lunar surface missions.
• AWS (Amazon Web Services)coreTechnology or IntegrationAWS provides ground infrastructure support for HEX20 missions, ensuring customer data is available for utilization through cloud integration with HEX20 Ground Station and Mission Control Centre.
• KSAT (Kongsberg Satellite Services)coreTechnology or IntegrationKSAT provides ground station infrastructure support for HEX20 missions, ensuring seamless data availability and satellite communication through global ground network.
• LeafspacecoreTechnology or IntegrationLeafspace provides ground infrastructure support for HEX20 missions, ensuring customer data accessibility and satellite communication capabilities.
• LASP at CU Boulder (Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHEX20 together with LASP at CU Boulder and NCU Taiwan are teaming up to launch an innovative hardware-focused training program (XORBIT) for universities.
• NCU Taiwan (National Central University)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHEX20 together with LASP at CU Boulder and NCU Taiwan are teaming up to launch an innovative hardware-focused training program (XORBIT) for universities.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• NanoAvionics: Lithuania-headquartered small-satellite bus manufacturer offering 3U to 100kg+ microsatellite platforms and mission services. Directly comparable to HEX20 across the same payload-agnostic, mission-as-a-service positioning.
• AAC Clyde Space: UK-based small-satellite company producing CubeSat platforms, subsystems and constellation services. Comparable product breadth (buses, payloads, ground services) and target customer segments as HEX20.
• GomSpace: Denmark-based CubeSat and small-satellite bus manufacturer offering 1U-12U platforms, subsystems and mission services. Direct competitor to HEX20's AX and NX product lines with similar academic, commercial and government customer base.
• Blue Canyon Technologies: US small-satellite manufacturer offering CubeSat and microsatellite buses plus high-precision attitude control components. Directly comparable in modular bus and subsystem sales to defense and commercial customers.
• Innovative Solutions In Space (ISIS): Netherlands-based CubeSat specialist offering satellite buses, subsystems and launch services. Closely comparable to HEX20's academic and institutional focus and modular platform architecture.
• EnduroSat: Bulgaria-based CubeSat platform and shared payload service provider. Comparable shared-satellite / hosted-payload model and standardized pricing approach to HEX20's $150K/U offering.

Others

• Leaf Space: Italy-based ground segment-as-a-service provider. Listed as a HEX20 partner for ground infrastructure, Leaf Space is an adjacent ecosystem participant in the small-sat mission services value chain rather than a direct competitor.

Emerging players

• Astrocast: Switzerland-based small-satellite IoT operator building a nanosatellite constellation. Partial overlap with HEX20's small-sat bus heritage but focused on a specific commercial IoT use case.

Broad incumbents

• Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL): UK subsidiary of Airbus offering small-satellite platforms and mission services across a much broader portfolio. Comparable end-to-end mission capability but with significantly larger scale and broader market reach than HEX20.
• York Space Systems: US small-satellite bus manufacturer and mission operator with standardized platforms. Comparable modular platform and government/defense focus, though at substantially larger scale and capital base than HEX20.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/hex20.space
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hex20

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HEX20