Project Apeiro launched successfully

Hyderabad: Project Apeiro, India’s first student-led micro-satellite, was launched from TIFR Balloon Facility, ECIL, here on Friday. 

This is an experiment led by undergraduate students from BITS Pilani KK Birla Goa Campus. The experiment is aimed at detecting and measuring cosmic radiation in stratosphere. 

This study is important to understand the biologically harmful cosmic radiation incident on earth from outer space. Extended exposure to this radiation leads to an increased risk in cancer and tissue damage. Hence, a thorough understanding of this radiation is essential to develop predictive and preventive mechanisms against their impact.

The experiment has been conducted using the technique of high altitude ballooning. This method allows studies in the near-space environment with the help of a zero-pressure plastic balloon which lifts the experimental payload to desired altitude. The experimental payload consisted of a cosmic radiation detector made with a combination of scintillator and photomultiplier tubes. 

This detector system was supported by an on-board high and low voltage power supply systems along with data acquisition systems. The development of the detector system was completed at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai.

The flight for this payload was conducted from the TIFR Balloon Facility in Hyderabad, which is amongst a very few institutes from around the world capable of supporting such kind of a flight. 

The balloon and all other flight equipment required for the flight of the Project Apeiro payload were completely developed at this facility. The payload was launched at 2.12 am on February 2 and achieved a first float altitude at 24.8 km. The second float altitude was achieved at 26.7 km. The flight was terminated at 5.17 am on the same day. 

All flight control and experiment equipment were recovered successfully without any damage. This flight has set history by successfully completing the country’s first near-space experiment completely developed by students. 

The student team consisting Sanket Deshpande, Lucky Kapoor, Shivangi Kamat, Vibhav Joshi and Pankaj Tiple From BITS Pilani K K Birla Goa Campus, which was led by the Project Mentor Dr B Satyanarayana, Scientific Officer (H), TIFR Mumbai. 

They thanked Prof Devendra Ojha, Chairperson and Suneel Kumar, Scientist-in-Charge along with all facility staff of TIFR Balloon facility and Srihari Menon, University of Pennsylvania, USA.