MIT WPU sets up research ground station for satellite reception, radio astronomy

NEW DELHI: The MIT World Peace University (MIT-WPU), Pune, has established a state-of-the-art ground station as part of the institution’s nano-satellite initiative. As per the MIT notice, the facility is one-of-a-kind, and is capable of both satellite reception and radio astronomy that provides data for enhancing radio astronomy research and improving satellite communications capabilities. The facility was inaugurated by executive president of MIT-WPU Rahul Karad.

The art ground station facility consists of six different antennae designed to receive signals from satellites in low earth orbit (LEO), medium earth orbit (MEO), high elliptical orbit (HEO) and geostationary earth orbit (GEO), the official notice said.

The specialised dish-and-horn antennas enable the reception of high-frequency signals, transforming them into a powerful radio astronomy tool and enables the study of the universe’s most minute signals, galaxy mapping, dark matter, etc.

The ground station facility can receive signals from open-source satellites to collect weather data as well as telemetry from CubeSats, Nanosats, and Microsats.

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MIT WPU project members

A team of 35 MIT-WPU students is working on the project along with 4 faculty members – Anup Kale, associate dean at the School of Science and Environmental Studies; professor Anagha Karne; Deobrat Singh and Sachin Kulkarni from the department of physics under MIT Pune’s School of Science and Environmental Studies.

Students are also preparing to upload data to various satellites as part of hands-on learning experience after they get their HAM (amateur radio) licence.

A mechanical engineering student at MIT-WPU and member of the Cosmos Club, Ojas Dhumal, said: “The facility’s control room can simultaneously handle complex tasks of satellite communication (downlink) and cosmic observation. This unique combination is rare. The Ground Station is currently in contact with NOAA and Meteor satellites, receiving data that helps us understand and respond to weather patterns and track environmental changes”.

Anup Kale, associate dean of School of Science & Environmental Studies, MIT-WPU, said: “The primary purpose of the Ground Station is to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application by providing our students hands-on experience with satellite communication and radio astronomy. The facility will be used for a variety of critical functions, including receiving and analysing data from open-source satellites to support research in fields such as….”