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BRAC students make nano satellite

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Brac University students-Abdulla Hil Kafi, Maisun Ibn Monowar and Raihana Shams Islam Antara along with their mentors.

Three Brac University students recently paved Bangladesh's first path for having a footprint into the space by developing the first nano-satellite of the country. The low-cost small satellite, categorized as nanosat, has been designed, developed and assembled by Brac University students-Abdulla Hil Kafi, Maisun Ibn Monowar and Raihana Shams Islam Antara.

Kyushu Institute of Technology (KIT) also known as Kyutech-one of the best technology universities of Japan collaborated with Brac University in developing the first nanosat.   As part of its academic endeavours, Brac University took this initiative of starting space and remote sensing research in collaboration with Kyutech and SPARRSO almost three years ago.

This cross-border interdisciplinary satellite project was supported by Japan for four non-space faring countries and was titled "Joint Global Multi-Nation BIRDS Satellite" or "BIRDS Project". Brac University considers this to be a milestone for "Space Technology Transfer" since it is the first time a Bangladeshi university is working in the field of satellite engineering and technology.

During a ceremony held at KIT, Japan on Wednesday, Dr Syed Saad Andaleeb, Vice Chancellor of Brac University received the nanosat from Kyutech President Professor Yuji Oie and Professor Mengu Cho, Director, Laboratory of Spacecraft Environment Interaction Engineering, Kyutech.

At the sometime, a live video conference was organized at Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) in Ramna, where the BTRC Chairman Dr Shahjahan Mahmood joined to observe the nanosat receieving ceremony in Japan.

Professor Dr. A. A. Ziauddin Ahmad, Chairperson, Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, BRACU, presided over the ceremony in Dhaka and gave a brief description of Brac Onnesha..Brac Onnesha is shaped as a cube of 10cm edge capable of completing one orbit 400 kilometres above the ground in 90 minutes and passing over Bangladesh four-six times a day.

Demonstrating the fucntionality of the nanosat through video conference from Japan, Abdulla Hil Kafi, now studying Applied Science for Integrated System Engineering in Kyetech, explained that the nano-satellite would be able to take high quality photographs of land to analyse vegetation, urbanisation, flood, water resources, forestry etc.

It will also allow relaying audio signals and attaining communication through HAM radio during emergencies and catastrophe and play the national anthem on days of national importance, observe space environment and monitor satellite location, he added.

Professor Mengu Cho of Kyutech said Brac Onnesha was easy to build and affordable and their prime objective was to educate the students so that they could go back to build one completely by themselves, presumably in October 2017.

 

Additional Info

  • author: Tech Desk
  • Link: http://dailyasianage.com/news/47988/brac-students-make-nano-satellite
  • Date: 11 February 2017
  • Media: Daily Asia Age
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