Sat designed by Thanjai student awaits NASA launch

S Riyasdeen from Karanthai in Thanjavur, who is pursuing second-year Mechatronics at Sastra University, had participated a global competition Cubes in Space, organised by idoodleEduinc for the students in the age group between 11 and 18 to design and propose experiments to launch into space on a NASA sounding rocket and zero-pressure scientific balloon. 

After the successful completion in the competition, Riyasdeen was selected for two Femto satellites under two different missions. He was one of the finalists among several thousands of participants from across 73 countries. “The satellites are named as VISON SAT v1 and v2 and both are of 37 mm in size and the payload is only around 30 mm with 33 grams weight and thus it has become the world’s lightest Femto satellites”, Riyasdeen told athe reporters on Saturday. 

He said that both the satellites are fabricated with polyetherimide thermoplastic resins using the additive manufacturing technology of 3D printing. V1 is made of polyetherimide Ultem 9085 and is infused with 11 sensors that would record as many as 11 parameters and this satellite is expected to be launched in NASA Sounding Rocket under SR 7 mission from Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, the USA in June 2021. 

While the V2 satellite that is made of polyetherimide Ultemltem 1010 and is infused with 11 sensors that would record as many as 17 parameters. And this satellite is expected to be launched in NASA Zero pressure Research Balloon under RB 6 mission during August 2021, said Riyasdeen who has been involved in this research work since his school final year.