UKHRUL: It was a moment of pride for Assam and the Northeast as Lachit-1, the region’s first satellite developed by students of Assam Don Bosco University (ADBU), was carried aboard ISRO’s PSLV-C62 rocket that lifted off from Sriharikota on Monday.
The fate of Lachit-1 and 15 other co-passenger satellites remained uncertain after the mission encountered an anomaly during the flight. In a post on X, ISRO said, “The PSLV-C62 mission encountered an anomaly during end of the PS3 stage. A detailed analysis has been initiated.”
Despite the setback, the launch marked a historic milestone for student-led space research in the Northeast.
Developed by nearly 50 ADBU students under faculty guidance, Lachit-1 was conceived, designed and built as part of the university’s space programme launched in 2022, making ADBU the first university in the region to undertake such a satellite mission.
Named after legendary Ahom general Lachit Borphukan, the satellite was designed to monitor atmospheric and environmental parameters such as temperature, humidity and pollution using IoT technology, with applications in disaster management and climate research.
ADBU Vice-Chancellor Fr Jose Palely and mission director Prof Vikramjit Kakati were present at Sriharikota for the launch, while students and faculty followed the event from the university’s campuses in Assam.
University officials said the mission remains a proud achievement for the state despite the anomaly.
Disclaimer: All information in this article is drawn from publicly available sources and/or insights provided by the experts consulted.