India’s space agency is set to launch ‘Kalamsat’ — a 3D-printed satellite designed by Indian students
Jan 24, 2019, 14:11 IST
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- The Indian Space and Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to launch a satellite — Kalamsat, which has been prepared by Indian students and a private organisation, Space Kidz India.
- The communication satellite is planned for launch on Thursday (24 January) at 11:37 PM.
- According to ISRO, Kalamsat is world’s lightest and first 3D printed satellite.
The designers of the satellite work with a private organisation that deals in science and innovation — Space Kidz India. The startup organisation has also laid plans on creating another satellite — Vikramsat — that could be used for biological experiments in space.
The communication satellite is planned for launch on Thursday (24 January) at 11:37 PM, along with MicrosatR — an imaging satellite for Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, ISRO tweeted. Kalamsat will span over two months.
According to ISRO, Kalamsat is world’s lightest (1.26 kgs) and first 3D-printed satellite and the launch will be first to use rocket to experiment in space.
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The satellite was built in just six days with in overall investment of nearly ₹1.2 million. However, it took nearly six years for the satellite-makers to understand the technology and its working, NDTV reported.
Earlier, a smaller version of Kalamsat — which means ‘gulab jamun’ — weighed just 64 grams — was launched in India by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in 2017.
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