Date: 8th July 2010
  
 

ISRO rocket carries payload developed by VITU students

ISRO has successfully launched RH 200 rocket carrying a payload developed by students of Vellore Institute of Technology University (VITU). The rocket was launched from Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS). RH200 has achieved its intended altitude of 60 km in 2 minutes.

ISRO has stated it has always encouraged students from universities to become partners for payload development. Towards this, students from Vellore Institute of Technology University (VITU), were being guided by Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) to develop a part of the payload as a co-passenger in the RH200 technology demonstrator flight. The student's payload comprised of tri-axial accelerometers, power switching module and safe arm relay unit matching the requirements of RH 200 rocket. The tri-axial accelerometer can monitor accelerations in all three directions. The power-switching module is for the power control of the payload. The faculty and students of VITU has taken keen interest during the development and test activities of these payloads at various work centres.

The release also stated, the students of the Indian Institute of Space Technology (IIST) are also progressing well in their attempt to make the first indigenous students rocket with the support of the experts from VSSC. In its continued endeavour to handhold the student community, ISRO has included a picosatellite designed by undergraduate students across India, in its forthcoming PSLV-C15 mission. The major objective of this project is to provide hands-on experience in frontier areas of Space technology such as the design, fabrication and realization of a space mission at a reduced cost.

This launch has successfully demonstrated the performance of super capacitors in flight pyro systems activation. The super capacitors were developed by VSSC.

ISRO said this is the 395th flight of RH 200 rocket. During January, 2010 the RH 200 along with RH 300 MkII and RH 560 MkII rockets made a history with first ever sounding rocket launch campaign with six flights in a day and five flights within a span of 3 hrs 40 minutes from TERLS and within a minimum 2 minutes between flights and tracking two rockets one after the other using the same radar in two minutes time gap. These deployments were for studying solar eclipse effects on atmospheric regions.