The Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Technology for Women is in the process of building a small satellite called WESAT, which stands for ‘Women Engineered SATellite.’ This 1 kg ‘nanosatellite’ will be launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) later this year, making it the first satellite in India to be designed entirely by women.

The institute has partnered with the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) to launch WESAT as a co-passenger satellite. IN-SPACe is responsible for facilitating private entities’ activities in the space sector.

WESAT’s primary objective is to measure ultraviolet (UV) rays in space and on Earth’s surface, and study their impact on temperature and climate change in Kerala. The students have spent three years finalizing the payload design, and Lizy Abraham, Assistant Professor and Principal Investigator of the satellite project, has led the effort.

In addition to the satellite, the institute has also completed the construction of a ground monitoring station, which is now operational. This monitoring station will facilitate the tracking and analysis of data collected by WESAT.

The successful launch and operation of WESAT will contribute to scientific research on UV radiation and its effects on climate change in Kerala. This project is a significant milestone for the women engineers at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Technology, as it showcases their expertise and capability in the field of space technology.