Martin Foundation in association with Dr APJ Abdul Kalam International Foundation and Space Zone India on Sunday launched the APJ Abdul Kalam Satellite Launch Vehicle Mission 2023. The mission was launched from the Pattipolam village of Chengalpattu district in Tamil Nadu. Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan was also present at the event.
Dr Anand Megalingam, founder and CEO of Space Zone India, said, "Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Satellite was launched with one hybrid rocket and 150 PicoSAT satellites. This is the first hybrid rocket."
As per a statement released earlier in the day, more than 5,000 students from grades six to 12 were enabled to design and develop 150 PICO satellites, that have been launched through the rocket.
This mission provided the opportunity to students to learn more about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, the statement said. The selected students were also taught about satellite technology through virtual classes, which have been followed by hands-on sessions to help them explore the project domain. They were also made aware of the numerous opportunities in this sector.
According to the statement, a total of 2,000 students from more than 100 government schools have been a part of this rocket project, as it is expected to be a good platform to train these students in space sciences and help them explore career opportunities in the domain.
The Martin Foundation, which is a non-profit organisation in Tamil Nadu, has funded 85 percent of this project.
With inputs from agencies.
