The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has played a big role in the development of space technology in India. Vikram Sarabhai and Homi Bhabha are regarded as the two pioneers of space research in India. A large number of satellite vehicles have been launched by the ISRO since starting off with Aryabhatta in 1975.
But now things seem to be changing. Student developed satellites seem to be a new trend. The most interesting aspect is that this trend isn’t limited to the IITs and NITs but catching up thick and fast across various tier II and tier III institutes as well.
Some of the first few designed satellites by students including Cube-sat and SEDSat by VIT and StudSat designed by ISRO, IISc and few other institutes have gripped the attention of students like never before. Students of more than 30 institutes have now approached the ISRO for helping them construct their own satellites. Most of them are interested in designing those in the micro (1-10kg) and nano satellite (10-100kgs). 
This new trend has the potential to help us in a number of ways –
- Increasing development in the field of space research and technology
- Working and developing satellites would help the students learn about the intricate details of these rather complex systems
- These would greatly encourage the students to apply what they learn in theory
- This trend would also play a great role in encouraging and facilitating greater research and development among the student community
- Small satellites are perfect platforms for students willing to train in this technology and also helps for multiple satellite launches through a single vehicle
This move may cost universities a lot of money, But money spent in such a fashion shouldn’t be taken as expenditure. Instead it should be taken as an investment as this experience would develop a culture of research and development among the students.
Your thoughts?
Correction: micro is (10-100kg), nano is (1-10kg)
things are not the way many think. most of indian schools and colleges dont have proper library and labs. Most of projects done by engineering students are just replicas and the trend continue to this day. and if some try themselves they hardly succeed and no one supports them. Whats more, go to a public sector company for training and you realise that they give no training whatsoever. I learnt this the hard way. only who are fortunate can succeed. So iam afraid that only some exceptions are getting highlighted while leaving the rest to suffer. horrible indeed.
A list of cubesat picosatellites:
http://cubesat.ifastnet.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=11
India is such a great nation where the students are inventing new creations day by day. They are building the nation.
Yeah and this for sure needs to be encouraged and tapped among the population of the country!
@ Pratap,
Your comment has the capability to become an explosive topic if you can write an article on it.
In Engineering circles, this debate goes on. Whether contribution from Teir I is better than Tier II & III.
India invests heavy amounts of money in Tier I. India’s elite gets chance to get educated from here and most migrate to greener pastures (permanently) making the investment in them a totall loss to the nation. Many strongly believe that those left behind (from Tier II & III) are the real contributors to national economy.
However there is anotehr angle to this debate which says, even if those who migrated have not directly contributed to national economy, as they grow to higher levels in their countries of adoption, they made influence on the rulers there to have favorable policies towards India.
Some more Tier I guys came back after a long stint outside India with lots of experiance to contribute.
Anyway if you can make a article, it brings out the best among the readers here by way of debate.
Yeah you have put it rightly here. But the only sad part sometimes is the fact that India invests most in Tier – 1 while the others get very meager amounts.
“IITs and NITs but catching up thick and fast across various tier II and tier III institutes as well”
Wow! What a way to undermine the numerous private educational systems in India. Tier II and Tier III. Nobody can put it in fewer number of words.
India’s current growth was not fueled by IITs. Because, an enormous percentage of the students from IITs left the country. These Tier I was a money sucker.
The private, local and community colleges are the ones that built the country’s current young minds!
So, please stop patronizing the “real” educational institutions of India!
Pratap! Relax! I never patronized them or meant it in a wrong way. I am sorry for using Tier 1. I personally am not a student of IITs or NITs myself. My main motive of the article was the fact that such research was started first by many students in IITs and stuff obviously not because they may be amazingly gifted but instead because they are the first to be supported by the government and then other institutes!
Patent, trademark, copyright, and corporate law resources for start-ups:
http://www.pinskylaw.ca/Resources/resources.htm