Kanpur, August 02: Taking a big leap in its technological quest, IIT Kanpur has developed a nanosatellite which is expected to provide real-time data on drought, flood, vegetation and forestation.
The satellite, designed and developed by a group of students of the institute, will be handed over to ISRO, which is expected to launch it by the end of the year.
“This satellite will have specific function of sending imagery on ground conditions. We will set up a tracking station in our institute where we will get the real-time data on drought, flood, vegetation and forestation,” IIT Kanpur Director Prof S.G. Dhande said.
The satellite, costing Rs 2.5 crore, has been developed by a team of students led by Santanu Agrawal, an M.Phil student.
The nanosatellite, which will be named ‘Jugnu’, will have a mass of less than 10 kg. It will piggyback on larger launches, avoiding the need for a dedicated launch.
“There will be no dedicated launch of this satellite. These kinds of satellites are launched from the belly of large satellites,” Dhande said.
–PTI