About Us
Studsat (Student Satellite) is a unique satellite technology endeavor undertaken by Under-graduate students in India. Studsat will be the first Pico-Satellite being launched by India, and more so special, as it is a project undertaken by Under-graduate students from seven different Academic Institutions, from different regions of India, under the guidance of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).
When realized successfully Studsat will be the smallest operational satellite launched by ISRO. The mission of the satellite is experimental in nature, but the major objective of this mission is to enable students to have hands-on experience on Space technology by involving themselves in the design, fabrication and implementation of a full-fledged space mission at a nominal budget.
The idea for a project of this kind crystallized during the International Astronautical Congress, 2007, between four students from different academic institutions, from Hyderabad and Bengaluru, after their epochal interaction with the Project Director of Small Satellites, ISRO Satellite Centre.
Starting then, the team has expanded slowly by involving more like minded students, to complete the entire conceptual design of the satellite. By the virtue of its collaborative nature, the students approached each of their academic institutions, persuading them to contribute funds for the realization of this ambitious project. An accurate and convincing budget analysis was performed by the students, presenting the same to the managements seeking their much needed support, in terms of resources, sponsorship and finance pooling. The institutions were overwhelmed by the Team's enthusiasm, and wholeheartedly supported the team.
The team then approached ISRO along with the Academic institutions for a Preliminary Review of the Student Satellite project. After detailed review of the project, and elaborate presentations from the team, ISRO approved our project. Subsequently, the team grew, and today comprises of around 45 students from ten different academic institutions. Of the ten participant colleges, seven formed a consortium in order to sponsor the project. An internal MoU has been signed between the colleges, and have chosen Nitte Meenakshi Institute of Technology, Bengauru, one of the participant institutions as their representative, to sign the official MoU with ISRO on their behalf.
Description
The satellite is close to being a cube, of miniature size, when compared with the common satellites, with dimensions of 10 cm x 10 cm x 13.5 cm; it weighs just above 850 gm and has a volume of 1.1 litre, and hence falls into the category of "Pico Satellites". The satellite is intended to be launched in a 700 km solar-synchronous orbit. The functional objective of the satellite is to perform remote sensing, and capture images of the surface of the earth using it's camera of resolution 90 m; The best resolution hitherto achieved by any Pico Satellite in the world.
* Communication sub-system.
* Power generation and distribution sub-system.
* Attitude Determination and Control sub-system.
* On-board computer.
* Payload(Camera).
* Mechanical Structure.
Apart from these constituent subsystems of the satellite, a fully operational amateur frequency Ground Station has been designed in order to communicate with the satellite. The Ground Station has been established in Nitte Meenakshi Institute of Technology, Bengaluru.
All the above subsystems have been indigenously designed by the students.