ISRO opens year’s campaign
The ISRO opened the year’s space campaign by launching defence-imaging satellite Microsat-R and students’ payload Kalamsat from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. This is also the 46th flight of ISRO’s workhorse PSLV.
About Microsat-R
Microsat-R, an imaging and surveillance satellite, and its payload come assembled from a handful of DRDO labs.
Weight: 740 kg
About Kalamsat
Kalamsat is a payload developed by students and Chennai-based Space Kidz India for the first time. Named after late Prez Abdul Kalam, it is meant for studying communication system of nano satellites.
Cost: Rs 12 lakh
Weight: 1.2 kg
A first India’s lightest-ever and 3D-printed satellite
‘Gulab jamun’
Earlier, a smaller version of Kalamsat — nicknamed ‘gulab jamun’ — weighed just 64 grams — was launched in India by NASA in 2017
