IIT-B students in race to launch satellite

About 30 to 40 students from the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-B) are reaching for the final frontier to help the country. They are designing a satellite that could be the first by 20-somethings in this part of the world to be launched into orbit. The Indian Space Reseach Organisation (ISRO) has “shown its willingness’’ to launch the 10-kg satellite into low Earth-orbit, said IIT-B sources. Low orbit is 800 km-1,000 km above Earth’s surface. With Isro supporting the project, the mood on the IIT-B campus is upbeat. When approached in Bangalore, ISRO officials said they support student satellite projects as it gets young blood interested in the space programme. “We are already evaluating a micro-satellite project prepared by the students of Anna University in Chennai,’’ an official said. Proposed Functions Of The IIT-B Satellite • Studying high-energy particles in space • Studying the Greenhouse Effect • Studying the Ionosphere • Measuring transmission / polarization of atmosphere • Biomedical Experimentation • Ham Repeater for receiving weak signals and retransmitting as stronger signals. Isn't this another reason to celebrate on being an INDIAN!!!!!