Pratham (satellite)
Pratham Final Flight Model | |
| Mission type | Ionospheric Technology |
|---|---|
| Operator | IIT Bombay |
| COSPAR ID | 2016-059A |
| SATCAT no. | 41783 |
| Website | Pratham, IIT Bombay Student Satellite Initiative |
| Mission duration | 4 months |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | Student Satellite Lab, IIT Bombay |
| Launch mass | 10.15 kilograms (22.4 lb) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | September 26, 2016 |
| Rocket | PSLV |
| Launch site | Satish Dhawan, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh |
| Contractor | ISRO |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Low Earth |
Pratham is an Indian ionospheric research satellite which will be operated by the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay as part of the Student Satellite Initiative. Its primary mission is to count electrons in the Earth's ionosphere.
The Pratham spacecraft is a cube with 30-centimetre (12 in) sides and a mass of around 10.15 kilograms (22.4 lb). It was conceptualized by a team of students under the supervision of Professor K. Sudhakar. Pratham was successfully launched on 26 September 2016 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh along with 7 other satellites on PSLV C-35.