Jugnu set to create history

KANPUR: Nano satellite Jugnu is ready to be launched into the space launch via PSLV C-18 rocket from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh at 11 am on Wednesday. The country's first nano-satellite weighing just 3 kgs had been integrated with PSLV C-18 on October 1. At 11 am on Monday, the countdown for the launch of Jugnu had commenced.
Professor NS Vyas, under whose guidance the mission of developing Jugnu was carried out at IIT-Kanpur, told TOI that development of Jugnu was an extremely complex process.He termed the development of Jugnu as a rigorous exercise as most of the parts of the nano-satellite have been developed indigenously.
"We have done our best. Jugnu has undergone rigorous tests like thermo vacuum tests, vibration tests and electronic magnetic interference test. Students have worked very hard in developing Jugnu. They have worked round-the-clock. We are hopeful of its successful launch," said Vyas.
Vyas said that the payload of the satellite includes an indigenously designed camera for near infra red remote sensing, a GPS receiver and an inertial measurement unit.
Informing about which image will Jugnu click first after getting separated from PSLV C-18 rocket, Shantanu Agarwal, student team head of Jugnu said, "About 25 minutes after the launch, Jugnu would will click the first image of its launch vehicle and its antennas would be deployed. It will then stabilise and start transmitting images to the ground station."
Shantanu added that after 110-115 minutes of the lift-off, Jugnu would be visible at ground station.
"Jugnu's beacon (blinking signal at all times all over the earth) will get switched on after 30 minutes of separation from the launch vehicle. Five seconds after its separation, Jugnu will click its image," said Shantanu.
Jugnu has been developed in two years. For the most part, non-space grade, commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components have been used in Jugnu to keep its cost low. Unlike conventional satellites which have a large number of redundant systems, Jugnu has minimum of such systems.
Shatanu said that the satellite comprises nine sub-systems -- six for housekeeping (attitude determination and control system, communication system, on board computer, power, structure and thermal control system) and three payload GPS, IR-Imaging and IMU.
Additionally, another system, ejection mechanism has been designed for the separation of the satellite from the launch vehicle.
Professor NS Vyas, head of the project, Prof Raghu Ram, student team head Shantanu Agarwal, Chintalagiri Shashank Praneeth, Kshitij Deo, Anant Goel, Kumar Dev Vrat, Rohit Ranjan, Parul Singh and Shruti Mittal will be present at Sriharikota during the launch of Jugnu, which would be a historic moment for IIT-Kanpur and the country.