VYOM (Sky in Sanskrit), the first sounding rocket designed and realised by the students of the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) was launched from the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) here on Friday evening. (Sounding rockets are also called research rockets. It is essentially and instrument-carrying rocket, used to take measurements and perform scientific experiments during its flight).
The objective of the launch was to flight-test the solid motor and the accelerometer payload developed for the project.
The objectives were satisfactorily met in the maiden launch and the rocket reached the anticipated altitude, according to the IIST sources.
VYOM had an overall length of 2.3 meters, maximum outer diameter of 207 mm, and a lift-off mass of 88 kg. VYOM used a solid motor with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)'s well-proven Hydroxyl Terminated Polybutadiene (HTPB) propellant, with a new grain configuration conceived by the students.
The students executed the project under the guidance of the Advanced Technology Vehicle and Sounding Rockets Project (ATVP) of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC).
It works on a low 5V power supply and a low-cost power switching module and uses S-band antenna transmission system.
The sounding rocket was designed and realised by the B.Tech. students of IIST under the guidance and supervision of VSSC engineers and IIST faculty.
Twenty-six undergraduate students and 10 alumni of the 2007 batch, now Scientist/Engineers at various ISRO Centres, actively contributed to the project.
