KALAMSAT-V2

Kalamsat-V2 is the world’s lightest satellite ever to be put into orbit weighing 1.26 kgs. It was made by the students of a space education firm named ‘space Kidz India’ located in Chennai. India’s space agency claimed that it will be very useful for ham radio operators and will be an utmost inspiration for the young generation to become successful scientist and engineers in their future.

It was launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) from Sriharikota Space centre on 22nd June 2017. It is the first satellite to be made by a private concern and launched by ISRO.

The satellite was launched by a four-stage PSLV rocket named PSLV-C44 which weighed 260 tonnes. A Four-stage rocket could at least take a satellite to a height of about 277 km (172 miles). The first three segments of the rocket usually fall back to the earth and the fourth and final stage is controlled by a ‘start and stop’ method to make the satellite reach its destination successfully i.e. into the orbit. With this mission, K.Shivan said that “This is the first time ISRO is conducting such an experiment to reclaim a dead rocket stage and to keep it alive.” In this mission, the last stage of the rocket will be “moved to higher circular orbit” from where Kalamsat-V2 is expected to beam down its signals.

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