A satellite built by engineering students of NRI Institute of Technology (NRIIT) at Agiripalli in Krishna district is all set to beam the country’s national anthem from space, once placed in orbit.
A five-member team, headed by Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE) student Kovelakar Salvendar Ghansheed Baba, designed the satellite named ‘Kesari’. The team is planning to launch the satellite into orbit with the help of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
It was on December 27 in 1911 that the Jana Gana Mana was sung for the first time, at the Calcutta Session of the Indian National Congress.
NRIIT Group of Colleges chairman R. Venkat Rao lauded Mr. Salvendar and his team of Gudla Uday Kiran, Kasani Ranga Rao, Arepalli Jagan and Kante Manoj Kumar, all ECE students, for designing the satellite.
The students uploaded the audio file of the national anthem to the satellite using Morse code. Once placed in orbit, the satellite would beam the anthem across the country, which can be picked up by amateur radio (HAM radio) operators anywhere in India who can listen to it after decoding the Morse code, Mr. Venkat Rao said.
Associate professors D. Ravi Shankar and P. Ramakoteswara Rao, who guided the students, said that the satellite had a battery management system, high frequency transmitter, antennas and a robust protective system to guard the equipment.
“The satellite will start functioning once put in orbit. Antennas fixed to ‘Kesari’ will beam the anthem in Morse code as high-frequency radio waves. The anthem can be heard by ham radio operators and on walkie talkies across the world,” Mr. Salvendar told The Hindu on Friday.
Mr. Manoj Kumar said that ‘Kesari’ will have a lifespan of more than six months if equipped with solar panels. He thanked faculty Sk. Abdul Rehaman and the institute management for encouraging them in designing the mini satellite.
Laudable effort
NRIIT Placement Cell director N.V. Surendra Babu said that Mr. Salvendar and his team designed the 450-gram satellite in just 45 days. The students said they drew inspiration from Sputnik-1 designed by Russian scientists.
“The team met Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), SHAR, Sriharikota, Director, A. Rajarajan, who assured them of all help in putting ‘Kesari’ into orbit,” Prof. Surendra Babu said.
“Mr. Rajarajan complimented the budding engineers for designing ‘Kesari’. He asked the students to take up research in space applications and projects. NRIIT will help the students in all aspects to become good scientists,” Mr. Venkat Rao said.
