Pratham — a satellite made indigenously by over 300 students of the Indian Institute of Technology, Powai — will finally be commissioned in 2011, and is likely to be launched along with other satellites by the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro).
The satellite will measure the total electronic content in the atmosphere that causes thunder and lightening. The students working on the project said that they are in the final stage of testing and hope to get the satellite ready for launch within a month.
“We have been testing the dynamics of the body, which is made of tempered steel to withstand high temperatures while going in orbit.
Other tests pertaining to communication and power supply and so on have also been fully conducted,” said the student, while explaining the dynamics of Pratham at the recently-concluded Techfest 2011.
Isro scientists have commended the 30-member team, which is currently involved in building the micro-satellite, for the progress it has made. The scientists along with the IIT faculty have been monitoring the work done by the students.
A member of the team said that the mentoring by the Isro scientists along with their faculty Prof. K Sudhakar has been one of the greatest incentives for them to try and complete the satellite on schedule.
“During a recent visit, one of the Isro officials said that even if for some reason the satellite fails to make it into space, we should consider it a major achievement, as nowhere in the country have students embarked upon such an ambitious project,” said another member of the team.
With testing of all onboard systems almost complete, the students are confident of having the satellite ready for launch whenever the Isro will be sending up their own satellites. “Our satellite is a 260 mm cube, which will piggy back on the larger Isro satellites and will break off and go into orbit individually. The institute will control it till it completes the tasks. After this its power supply will be cut off, and it will keep orbiting in space,” said one of the project members.
Meanwhile, project director, small satellite projects, Isro, D.V.A. Raghavmurthy confirmed that the Isro has agreed to launch Pratham. Dr Raghavmurthy said, “The launch date for Pratham will be finalised after checking on all aspects of the satellite and its peripherals.”