Indian schoolgirls' satellite experiment rebounds, now circling Earth near the ISS
After a failed launch in 2022, a satellite built with components from 750 Indian schoolgirls was successfully placed in a 450-km orbit in February 2023.
Under the AzaadiSAT initiative, 750 girls from 75 Indian schools collaborated with Space Kidz India to create educational experiments for a space mission. The inaugural launch on an SSLV vehicle in August 2022 placed the satellite on an unstable trajectory, causing it to fall back to Earth. ISRO analyzed the failure and adjusted the rocket’s separation system, navigation software, and vibration protection.
A second launch on 10 February 2023 successfully inserted AzaadiSAT-2 into a circular orbit about 450 kilometres high, close to the International Space Station’s path. The satellite carries 75 payloads, including a radiation counter, radio-communication gear, a long-range transmitter and a selfie camera, all built by the students. While specialists handled the main bus and integration, the girls gained hands-on experience with real space hardware, advancing STEM outreach in rural India.
Why it matters
It shows how hands-on space projects can inspire thousands of students, especially girls, and demonstrate India's growing educational outreach in STEM.
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