AzaadiSAT

Why in news? : ISRO’s smallest commercial rocket ‘Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV)’ carrying ‘AzaadiSAT’,  launched  to unfurl the Tricolour in space, from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota (SDSC SHAR).

Why it is important? : To celebrate India’s 75th year of Independence to mark India’s celebrations of ‘Azaadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’. It will encourage scientific temper and create opportunities for young girls to opt for ‘space research’ as their career.

What it is? : It Comprises of 75 payloads built by 750 young girl students from 75 rural government schools of India.

• It is the result of ISRO pushing for girls to go for “Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)”.
• It is an 8-kilogram CubeSat. Each of the 75 payloads are weighing about 50 grams.The mission will conduct femto-experiments.
• It also comprise of a solid-state PIN diode-based radiation counter, that will measure the ionising radiation in its orbit, as well as a long-range transponder.
• ISRO will use ground system developed by Space Kidz India, to establish telemetry and communication with AzadiSAT in orbit.