Bengaluru-based start-up Digantara used a SpaceX rocket to launch the Pushan Alpha satellite on January 3.
What’s it about? Digantara’s Pushan-Alpha satellite will travel in a sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) and serve as a space weather testbed.
- The satellite’s purpose is to enhance space situational awareness (SSA) applications, which will enable the gathering of knowledge about space objects and space weather phenomena.
- To assure sustainable space operations, the Bengaluru-based space tech start-up is developing its own SSA capabilities with ground- and space-based infrastructure.
Mission objective: The mission has three objectives. A radiation measurement in SSO is the initial step. The South Atlantic Anomaly, a weak area in the Earth’s magnetic field that shields the globe from large doses of solar wind and cosmic radiation, will also be evaluated for particle radiation. Thirdly, it will research space to improve space debris modelling.
Other launches: The Indian space industry sector has seen a spate of satellite launches, with this one being the most recent. Pixxel’s Anand satellite was launched in 2022 using a different SpaceX rocket, while Dhruva Space’s Thybolt satellites were launched using an ISRO launch vehicle.
- Applications for space situational awareness (SSA) will be improved with the help of Digantara’s Pushan-Alpha in the SSO.