Anna University: First to develop 40-KG micro satellite

Anna University on Monday attained the distinction of being the first university in the country to develop a 40-KG micro satellite ‘ANUSAT´, which was successfully put into orbit by ISRO through its PSLV C-12.

Anna University on Monday attained the distinction of being the first university in the country to develop a 40-KG micro satellite ‘ANUSAT´, which was successfully put into orbit by ISRO through its PSLV C-12.

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The Rs 5.2 crore ANUSAT is the first experimental communication satellite built by an Indian university under the overall guidance of ISRO.

This satellite with a powersystem of 40W provided by GaAs solar cells with a backup of 10 ‘Ah Li ion´ battery, would demonstrate the technologies related to storing of message and forwarding operations.

“We believe it is going to be a very good starting point for spreading the high technology among the students in the country,” ISRO Chairman G Madhavan Nair told reporters at the space centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

He said taking the lead from the Anna university, students from about half a dozen institutions like IIT Kanpur and VIT in Vellore, have come forward to take projects on satellite building.

University sources said the process of developing the satellite began in 2004 with the help of ISRO officials. More than 50 students were involved in developing the satellite, which was also expected to create a network between the universities and its affiliated colleges.