INDIA LAUNCHES UNIVERSITY-BUILT SATELLITE

By P. Vijian

NEW DELHI, April 20 (Bernama) -- India successfully placed two satellites in
the sky early today, one of which was designed and built by Anna University in
Chennai -- the first satellite built by an Indian university.

The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C-12) soared into the sky at 6.45am
(9.15am in Malaysia) from the Sriharikota spaceport in Andra Pradesh, in south
India, lifting the two satellites, RISAT-2 and ANUSAT -- an abbreviation for
Anna University Satellite.

"The indigenous ANUSAT was designed, built and fabricated by 10 faculty
members from Anna University. It took us nearly eight years to complete.

"This micro satellite will help in storing and forwarding data. It will help
us send confidential data, like examination papers. This is a proud moment for
India and the university," Anna University vice-chancellor Dr P. Mannar Jawahar
told Bernama.

The India Space Research Organisation (ISRO) funded the ANUSAT communication
satellite, weighing 40kg and costing nearly RM5 million (US$1=RM3.63). It has a
life span of two years.


The Israel-designed RISAT-2 or Radar Imaging Satellite, weighing 300kg, with
all-weather capability to take images of the earth, would enhance ISRO's
disaster management ability.

"RISAT will help us in monitoring natural disasters like floods and
cyclones. It has a life span of three years. ANUSAT is the first experimental
communication satellite built by an Indian university under the guidance of
ISRO," ISRO spokesperson S. Sathis told Bernama.

Last October, ISRO launched the Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft that is now
exploring the moon from lunar orbit.

-- BERNAMA