Indian propulsion maker joins US expansion push

TAMPA, Fla. — Indian satellite propulsion maker Bellatrix Aerospace announced plans April 10 to open a manufacturing facility in the United States in the coming months, joining a wave of foreign firms seeking a slice of the country’s vast space market.

Bellatrix hired Chris MacDonald, a former business development director at rocket developer Astra and satellite provider Terran Orbital, to lead its recently created U.S. subsidiary, headquartered in Delaware.

The manufacturing facility would support localized production, testing and delivery of propulsion systems to enable faster turnaround times and closer collaboration with U.S.-based customers, MacDonald said via email.

Founded in 2015, Bellatrix’s electric hall effect thruster has been used in a handful of missions for India’s space agency in recent years, along with a propulsion system that uses a less toxic alternative to hydrazine.

With technologies now proven on home turf, the company is turning its attention to international opportunities — particularly in the United States, where demand for space infrastructure continues to draw significant private investment.

According to research published April 9 by venture capital firm Space Capital, the U.S. attracted 72% of global investments in space infrastructure over the past three years.

In the first three months of 2025, U.S. companies accounted for the majority of the $1.7 billion invested in space infrastructure, referring to the hardware and software used to build, launch and operate satellites, rockets and other space-bound assets.

That marked a 31% drop from the previous quarter and the second-lowest quarterly total Space Capital has recorded over the past three years amid macroeconomic uncertainty and tightening financial conditions.

Still, the report pointed to continued demand for propulsion, satellite manufacturing and launch services, particularly from defense-focused players aiming to seize opportunities created by the U.S. administration’s renewed emphasis on space as a national security priority.

International expansion

“We’re currently in advanced discussions with over six U.S.-based satellite manufacturers and operators, with several others in early-stage talks,” MacDonald said. 

“We’ve also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a prominent U.S. satellite manufacturer to serve as their preferred propulsion partner. These partnerships are paving the way for a strong U.S. presence and product adoption.”

Bellatrix currently employs more than 90 people in India and expects to expand its team to around 115 by the end of the year to support increasing global demand and product development, including as many as six U.S.-based employees.

British satellite component maker Olsen announced similar expansion plans earlier this week targeting Florida, while GITAI, a space robotics specialist headquartered in California but majority-owned from Japan, recently set up a subsidiary under a U.S. voting trust to chase prime contractor roles in defense contracts.