Bhubaneswar: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will set up a Space Technology Incubation Centre (STIC) at Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology in Burla.
A visiting ISRO team appreciated the efforts of VSSUT students for developing and successfully launching a sounding rocket with payload.
Considering the high level of enthusiasm shown by VSSUT, Secretary, DOS/Chairman, ISRO, has consented to establish an exclusive Space Research Lab named Surendra Sai Space Innovation Centre for which ISRO will offer technical consultancy support and seed funding of Rs. 50 lakh.
All necessary technical guidance and essential funding for selected projects will be provided by ISRO from time to time. It has also proposed to extend support in realizing and testing of subsystems/components developed through this Centre.
ISRO has also suggested that VSSUT may carry out their future sounding rocket launches from the established sounding rocket launching facilities like Thumba (VSSC/ISRO), Thiruvananthapuram, Sriharikota (SDSC-SHAR) or Balasore (Under DRDO) where all kinds of safety systems are available.
It is a proud achievement for the prestigious VSSUT as well as the state of Odisha. Technical expertise and excellence in the field of rocket launching brings laurels to the state.
A 40-member VSSUT team had launched VSLV 3.1 from the Goshala Area, Mahanadi River Valley, Burla, on September 10, 2018. It was an arduous effort by a team at Idea Innovation Cell, VSSUT. The 1.8-metre long rocket, weighing about 6.5 kg, was fired to an apogee of 13000 feet (3.96 km).
This is the first indigenous student rocket launch initiative in India by the team led by Captain Jaswasi Jashowanta Sahoo, a B Tech final year student of Chemical Engineering of VSSUT. Enthusiastic students from other disciplines of the university joined the effort to accomplish the mission which also entered the Limca Book of Records.