Business Development Manager, Launch Services

ABOUT ASTROBASE SPACE TECHNOLOGIES

Astrobase is a pioneering spacetech startup founded by prominent Senior ISRO scientists and IIT Bombay alumni with over 20 years of experience in designing, manufacturing, testing and flying advanced Cryogenic Launch Vehicles. Driven by a vision to make India a Space tech powerhouse, we are developing innovative launch vehicles that will transform space exploration. At Astrobase, you’ll be part of a team creating history in the Indian space industry. Our goal is to become the first private space company from India to land on the moon economically.

About the Role

You will sign Astrobase's first commercial launch customers, turning a qualified pipeline of satellite operators into signed launch services agreements (LSAs) before our first flight.

This is a founding commercial hire. You will own launch sales end to end: finding operators who need capacity in 2029–31, shaping deals they can say yes to before we have flight heritage, and building the playbook the team will scale from. You'll work directly with leadership and engineering, and represent Astrobase in front of operators, aggregators and space agencies worldwide.

Title: Business Development Manager, Launch Services

Reports to: Director, Commercial

Location: Bengaluru, India, with around 40% international travel. Open to candidates based in India only.

Key Responsibilities

1. Build the manifest. Own the pipeline of constellation operators, aggregators and sovereign customers across the US, Europe, India, Japan, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific. Prioritise the operators whose 2029–31 launch plans fit AB220.

2. Close deals. Take operators from first call to letter of intent (LOI), then to a signed, milestone-backed LSA. Lead pricing, payment milestones, risk-sharing and insurance structures with our finance and legal teams.

3. Land anchor and wholesale deals. Secure multi-launch anchor agreements and at least one full-vehicle wholesale mission with a rideshare aggregator.

4. Be the customer's voice inside Astrobase. Feed requirements on orbits, payload interfaces, dispensers, schedule and licensing into vehicle and mission planning, and own the customer experience from first call through integration.

5. Navigate licensing and export control. Work with operators and authorities on US export licences (ITAR/EAR), IN-SPACe authorisation and spectrum/regulatory needs so deals don't stall.

6. Represent Astrobase. Present at industry events (World Space Business Week, SmallSat, IAC, Space Symposium), run customer visits, and build Astrobase's reputation in the launch market.

Required Skills & Qualifications

You must have already sold launches: this is mandatory. We also need someone whose calls get answered by satellite operators.

Launch sales track record (mandatory): 3+ years in space business development or sales, including at least 3 years selling launch services (dedicated, rideshare or orbital transfer) at a launch provider, launch aggregator or mission integrator.

Closed deals: personally led negotiations to signed launch services agreements, including pricing, payment milestones, schedule and termination terms. Be ready to walk us through two or three.

Network: active relationships with launch, mission-management and procurement leads at satellite operators in the US, Europe or Asia, and with aggregators and integrators.

Technical fluency: comfortable discussing orbits (LEO, SSO, rideshare vs dedicated), payload mass and volume, dispensers and separation systems, and integration timelines with engineers on both sides.

Regulatory awareness: working knowledge of export control (ITAR/EAR), launch and spectrum licensing, and third-party liability and insurance.

Startup mindset: able to sell a vehicle before it has flown by building trust through transparency, milestones and smart deal structures.

Communication: excellent written and spoken English; confident presenting to CEOs, procurement teams and government officials.

Willingness to travel internationally around 40% of the time.

WHY WORK WITH US?

At Astrobase, we believe in the power of human ingenuity and collaboration to push the boundaries of space exploration.

1. Be part of India's growing space technology ecosystem and contribute to missions that push the boundaries of engineering

2. Work alongside a high-calibre team solving first-of-their-kind problems, with exposure to the full lifecycle of space-grade manufacturing and program execution

3. Thrive in a culture that values ownership, curiosity, and tangible impact over hierarchy and tenure

4. Accelerate your career with meaningful responsibilities, direct leadership visibility, and competitive compensation