Teen girls come together to build a satellite for ISRO

Hyderabad: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Friday successfully launched the AzaadSAT-2, a nano-satellite, built by Chennai-based startup, SpaceKidZ, India, in its Small Satellite Launch Vehicle-SSLV D2, an 8.7 kg satellite built by 750 girls studying in various government schools. For the first time ever, 750 girls' students from the remotest parts of India joined together to build a satellite.

"AZAADISAT" mission

• This satellite mission was launched to encourage government school children (from economically weak backgrounds) with the basic understanding and knowledge of space and tutor them to build a small experiment and launch it to space through "Orbital Satellite."
• Conceptualised by Dr Srimathy Kesan, CEO, SpaceKidz, India, who started working on this project in early 2022, to pay tribute to India's 75 years of Independence-Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
• She was a former NCC- "Best cadet of Andhra Pradesh" '92 and was very keen to give tribute to NCC by playing NCC song from Space through this satellite.

Funding for the mission

Major sponsor for the nano satellite was Hexaware, and a small contribution was offered by Lumina Datamatics, Ananth Technologies who funded for satellite testing.

The start-up worked on this project at Anna University located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

Aim of the project

• Around 75 Government schools for girls across India were identified, 10 girls from classes 8th-12th were given this opportunity from each school
• Among the 75 schools, St Francis Girls High School, Secunderabad, GHS Vengalraonagar, Hyderabad, and Zilla Parishad High Schools, Gurjakunta, Warangal and Armoor town in Nizamabad, were selected from Telangana
• Speaking to The Hans India, Srimathy Kesan, founder & CEO of SpaceKidz said, "This is a first of its kind mission with an "All women concept" to promote Women in STEM as this year's UN theme is "Women in Space. NITI Aayog helped us in identifying these government schools across India from Kashmir to Kanyakumari". The selected students were given training virtually and experiment materials were sent to them. With the support from science teachers in their respective schools, these students were trained to work on the payload."

Satellite insights

• To demonstrate expandable satellite structure
• NCC song on the occasion of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav
• Space Song composed and sung by the Rockstar Devi Sri Prasad and penned by lyricist Raman Raghuvanshi
• Prestigious G20 logo carried in the satellite as India is holding the G20 Presidency in 2023

know about the Start-up

• SpaceKidz India is an Indian Aerospace Startup pioneering in the design, fabrication, and launch of small satellites, spacecrafts, and ground systems
• It so far launched 18 BallonSats, 3 Suborbital Payloads and Orbital satellites