Coimbatore: K Sivan, chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization (Isro), on Thursday said the Unity Sat - three academic satellites developed by as many educational institutions - would provide an overview of real space mission and how space players could revolutionize the Indian space sector with faster, better and cheaper access to the space.
He was addressing a gathering virtually after remotely inaugurating the ground stations of Unity Sat on the premises of Sri Shakthi Institute of Engineering and Technology in Coimbatore, JPR Institute of Technology in Chennai and GH Raisoni College of Engineering in Nagpur. The Isro is expected to launch the satellites in February.
“They will be launched in a single deployer. Soon after the announcement of space reforms, the institutions took a bold step and have come out with satellite configurations,” the Isro chief said.
Explaining that launching nano satellites in lower earth orbit (LEO) required a systematic approach, he said the institutions had succeeded in adopting the same and built the satellites with a unique objective of demonstrating inter-satellite communication technology.
Pointing out all the parts and structures of the satellite were made locally, Sivan said it was the first step to develop capabilities for multiple satellite link system in a cost-effective manner.
According to him, registration of satellites as national space objects is another exposure to understand how responsible behaviour is demanded for other space activities like addressing the liabilities, analyzing the trajectory of space object and potential threat operations.
The Isro chief has asked the institutions not to stop with one satellite and assured to extend all support to them from his end.
The Sri Shakthi Institute of Engineering and Technology is all set to hand over its academic satellite, which weighs just 460g, to the Isro on February 5.