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  • 8:15 PM, Friday, 29 Mar 2024

Advanced Retarding Potential Analyser for Ionospheric Studies

 

"Successful execution of first space mission by IIST"

Indian institute of Space Science and technology, Thiruvananthapuram has successfully accomplished its first space mission by launching of a ionospheric investigation instrument completely built indigenously. Research on this probe for laboratory-based research was going on for several years at IIST. With that experience, IIST is actively working on making payloads for future Mars and Venus missions by ISRO. On the basis of this know-how IIST built a probe specifically configured for earths Ionosphere conditions. The probe was named Advanced Retarding potential analyser for Ionospheric Studies(ARIS), which measures the prevailing plasma parameters in the ionosphere. The project was executed by four faculty members of IIST with their project fellows and students. Scientists and engineers from various ISRO centers helped in getting the instrument ready for space launch. The payload reached its destined orbit of 485 km and was turned on at 12.27 pm on 1st April 2019 as it travelled on top of the fourth stage of ISRO’s PSLV C45 launch vehicle. Last two days the IIST team, in collaboration with ISRO ground stations, collected the data transmitted by the probe and analysed it. The analysis showed the probe is in perfect condition and performing the scientific experiments exactly as programmed. The data received was analysed for the in situ ionospheric conditions and the measured values were found to be in agreement with similar measurements in past. The probe is now fully active and will be sending data as long as the fourth stage of PSLV remains in the correct orbit, correct orientation and keeps generating enough power to operate the probe

The ARIS probe is akin to a weather station. Such space weather stations provide us continuous real time information about the ionospheric health around the earth. This information is useful in understanding the effects of the ionospheric plasma on our space assets as well as the dynamics of our atmosphere. It also shades light on how earths atmosphere reacts to the high energy radiation we receive from sun. IIST plan to continue the developmental work to reduces the mass and size of such probes and to test more challenging technologies. Thus facilitating monitoring of the global ionospheric activity with similar probes. IIST plan to have open source approach wherein the full know how of the technology and science will be shared openly with the national and global students and researcher with academic interests.

 

Click here to download video (part 1; 61min) of PSLV C45 lift-off and EMISAT launch as telecasted for public viewing.
Click here to download video (part 2; 24min) of launch of 28 international nano satellites, and Chairman’s Address.