Isro to launch satellite designed by IIT-B students in September from Sriharikota

A team of students from Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT-B) have designed a microsatellite  Pratham which will be launched into space by the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro), at the end of this month, reported The Indian Express. The group of students involved in the project will visit Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh to test the satellite which will later be launched from there. The 10 kg satellite will be launched by Isro’s four-stage Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) in September. It will piggyback on Isro’s main satellite ScatSat and in the four-month mission period, the main role of the satellite will be to measure the ’electron count’ in Ionosphere. [caption id=“attachment_3001094” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. PTI[/caption] The data from the satellite will help in scientific studies, to correct communication errors and give tsunami warnings, said Pratham’s project manager Ratnesh Mishra, a final year IIT-B aerospace student. The total cost of the project is Rs 1.5 crore. According to a report by Hindustan Times, in 2008, a few IITians came up with the idea for the satellite and presented the project plan to Isro. The plan was reviewed by Isro and later a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between IIT-B and Isro. In 2010, the project was almost completed but got stalled because of project members graduating from the institute. In 2012, however, the institute formed a fresh team and a new MoU was signed with Isro.