Assam Don Bosco University to launch Northeast’s first satellite LACHIT-1

Guwahati, Jan 12: In a landmark achievement for Assam and the Northeast, Assam Don Bosco University (ADBU) is set to launch LACHIT-1, the region’s first satellite, aboard ISRO’s PSLV-C62 on January 12. The mission marks the Northeast’s formal entry into space technology and is part of Hyderabad-based Dhruva Space’s Polar Access-1 (PA-1) programme.

Named after the legendary Ahom general Lachit Borphukan, LACHIT-1 (Live Amateur Communication Hub for Innovative Technologies – One) symbolizes regional pride and resilience. Once deployed and activated in orbit, the satellite will be accessible to the global amateur radio community, enabling licensed operators worldwide to engage in satellite communication and experimentation. In collaboration with the National Institute of Amateur Radio and ADBU, Dhruva Space will also conduct structured workshops and training programmes focused on using amateur satellites for disaster communication and emergency-response scenarios.

The mission has brought together over 50 students and faculty members from across the Northeast, including Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. Mission Director Prof Vikramjit Kakati, also Director of ADBU’s Research and Development Cell, said the university began planning its space programme in 2022 and has since expanded steadily into satellite engineering, mission operations and ground-station management.

The satellite has been developed under Dhruva Space’s ASTRA (Accelerated Space Technology Readiness & Access) for Academia programme using the flight-qualified P-DoT satellite platform and will be deployed using the DSOD-1U separation system. ADBU’s student-faculty team participated in the complete mission cycle, including integration, testing and launch-readiness reviews.

Vice-Chancellor Fr Jose Palely described the mission as “a statement of intent from the Northeast,” highlighting its relevance during floods, landslides and network outages, when satellite-based store-and-forward messaging can serve as a fallback communication channel.

ADBU will operate LACHIT-1 using a VHF/UHF ground station and Dhruva Space’s Integrated Space Operations Command Suite (ISOCS). Designed as a store-and-forward amateur radio satellite, LACHIT-1 will allow students to gain hands-on experience in managing an operational orbital communication system, reinforcing the Northeast’s growing role in India’s space ecosystem.

By

Staff Reporter