A Young Visionary's Plan to Keep Satellites Always Connected

A young entrepreneur is making waves in the space industry. Onkar Singh Batra, just 19 years old, has founded Apolink. This company aims to solve a big problem: satellites often lose connection when they are not in sight of ground stations. This happens because of something called "dead zones. " These are times when satellites can't communicate with Earth. Apolink wants to change this. They plan to use a network of satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) to keep connections alive 24/7. This is important because many satellites, like those used by NASA, are moving away from older systems. They are switching to commercial providers for better communication. Batra noticed this problem early on. At just 14, he became interested in space. By 12th grade, he had already created a satellite system called InQube. This was India's first open-source satellite. He also taught space technology to engineering students. Apolink's solution is unique. They use a mix of lasers and radios to connect satellites without needing special hardware. This makes it easier for different satellites to communicate. The company plans to launch its first demo mission in 2026. By 2029, they aim to have a full network of 32 satellites. Despite being new, Apolink has already gained attention. They have secured over $140 million in agreements from companies in Earth observation and communication. Their recent funding round was backed by big names like Y Combinator and several angel investors. The team is small but experienced. They work in a 4, 000-square-foot lab, focusing on testing and integrating their technology. Their goal is to ensure that satellites never lose connection, making space communication more reliable.