Aligarh Muslim University To Launch Its Own Satellite, Gets Nod From IN-SPACe

Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) has embarked on a groundbreaking space initiative, the ‘SS AMU SAT’ project, approved by the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe). Led by AMU’s Robo Club, this initiative aims to develop a 3U CubeSat, marking the first satellite named after AMU’s founder, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan.

Project Objectives

1. Economic Growth Study: Utilize satellite imagery to study economic growth in India’s poorest districts.
2. Technology Testing: Test in-house developed satellite sub-systems for enhanced functionality.
3. Multimedia Transmission: Implement image compression technology for rapid multimedia transmission.

Project Milestones

• November 2021: Project initiation under AMU Robo Club’s guidance.
• January 2023: Formal submission to IN-SPACe for approval, registration, frequency allocation, and launch.
• September 2023: Approval received from IN-SPACe’s Student Satellite Committee after design review.

Key Players

• Project Director: Dr. P.K. Jain, Director of Project Management and Analysis Division (PMAD) at IN-SPACe.
• Student Leaders: Poorti Varshney leads the student team with mentorship from Dr. C. A. Prabhakar (former Project Director at ISRO) and Faraz Ahmad (AMU alumnus, class of 2013).
• Technical Support: AMU alumni at ISRO and international industrial experts offer crucial technical assistance.

Project Advancements

• Memorandum of Understanding: AMU to sign an MOU with IN-SPACe, outlining all project activities from development to launch.
• Launch Schedule: Tentatively planned within the next six months, targeting Lower Earth Orbit.

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