Marvadi University (MU), a private university based in Rajkot, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) Wednesday with the Indian Technology Congress Association (ITCA) with an aim to develop and launch student-built satellites into the orbit
According to Registrar Naresh Jadeja, “Last year during our visit to Israel we discovered that unlike India, thousands of student-built satellites have been launched in orbit by their government.”
“In India, until recently, space activities were confined to national space agencies, with government providing majority of the grant. Today, even common citizens, such as students and researchers in academic institutions and universities, have access to activities in the space domain,” Professor Sandeep Sancheti said.
The lab will benefit students of six different engineering facilities, Jadeja said, “Groups of students from all disciplines would be working together on the project to build its first satellite by August 15, 2023. The cube satellite weighing 1500 grams would be thoroughly tested by ISRO and after successful testing launched into lower orbit. It will be placed in a PSLV and launched in space subsequently, he said. The college lab will do the monitoring of the satellite once it is released in orbit”.
These cube satellites support internet connectivity and weather forecasting. Jadeja estimated that the construction of two satellite labs—a clean lab and a ground monitoring lab—on the university campus would cost Rs 1.9 crore and be finished in a month.