CHENNAI: SRM University will become the first university on Wednesday to launch a nano-satellite and the first private university to launch a satellite of its own. The satellite called SRMSAT, when launched, will also be the only satellite monitoring the Green House Gas emissions in the region, according to university authorities.“The satellite will conduct a real-time integrated column measurement of the Green House Gases and will have a ground station at the university campus that will be monitored by the students,” said Narayan Rao, Director of Research and Development. The satellite will also be tracked by the ISRO tracking service from the first week of its launch. “The data collected by the satellite will be used for non-profit scientific purposes,” Rao added.The nano-satellite, which was planned about two years ago, had 52 students working on its research and development in collaboration with experts from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It was built at a cost of `1.5 crore. Students with Electronics and Communication, Electrical Engineering, IT and Computer Science backgrounds worked on this project. “Students had taken leave and permission from their respective institutions to get involved in the project,” said P Satyanarayana, Vice-Chancellor, SRM University.SRMSAT was transported to Sriharikota last Saturday and the launch authorisation board has approved its launch along with the Indo-French satellite Megha Tropiques on Wednesday. “Following this launch, we will get into the development of SRMSAT-2 in the next two years,” said Chancellor TR Pachamuthu. The university is also in talks with the ISRO to set up a centre for space technology on its campus.The university, according to its Chancellor, has set up a separate team for research on space technology and has obtained grants worth `20 crore for research activities. “We are regularly visiting and interacting with foreign universities such as Harvard, with whom we have tie-ups to escalate our research activities,” Pachamuthu said. Talking to City Express about the expansion of SRM in North India, Pachamuthu said, “Many states have already expressed interest in having SRM universities in states like Rajasthan and Haryana. In Haryana, the government has allotted 48 acres of land for starting a state university, which will be ready by the next academic year.”
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