The Technology Demonstration Satellite-01 or TDS-01 is a planned Indian geostationary orbit technology demonstration satellite carrying payloads for ISROâÂÂs Institute of Plasma Research, Gandhinagar and the CSIR-CEERI, Pilani. Payloads to be tested included an internally developed 300 mN electric powered thrusters, atomic clocks, travelling wave tube amplifiers (TWTA) & a quantum communication suite (QuTDS).
35 new indigenous technologies, rangeing from Indeginious atomic clocks to an Ion propulsion demonstration are planned for the satellite. The primary objective will be validation of a 300 milli-Newton (300 mN),5.4 kW electric propulsion thruster developed by LPSC. This will be leap forward from the smaller 75 mN truster used on GSAT 9.It is hoped to reduce fuel load upto 90% with an initial demonstration quantity of less than 200 kg of Xenon, as compared to Two-tonnes for other Geostationary satellites. A 1000 hour Ground test of the plasma thruster was conducted on 27 March 2025 to test the flight model prior to integration. The plasma thruster will be use for orbit raising of satellite to the Geostationary orbit. Instrumentation to validitate quantum key distribution technology and an indigenous travelling wave tube amplifier will also be demonstrated on this flight. Over â¹18,700 lakhs have been allotted for hardware development for a five year span from 2021 to 2026.