Hyderabad: Small satellites are likely to play an important role in the space industry, experts said on Thursday during a three-day conference where experts from the Small Satellites and Systems (ICSS) and Research Centre Imarat (RCI) are holding brainstorming sessions to ‘de-mystify space’.

DRDO chairman Dr G. Satheesh Reddy who was conferred the Fellowship of Sensors Research Society, said, “Advancements in technologies like propulsion, electronics, MEMS, structures, and payloads are enabling significant reduction in the size, cost, and weight of satellites. Small satellites is a disruptive technology for space industries.”

He said that only modest facilities were needed to design and build small satellites with innovative start-ups. “Small satellites will bring in a new revolution in the world and network of space borne sensors will lead us towards Internet of Satellites in future,” Dr Reddy said

“Small satellite-driven missions have changed our approach towards Earth observation and the space wide web will pave the way for Internet of Space Things (IoSTs). We need to explore the technical issues, development considerations, emerging opportunities and address quality, reliability issues and if we are not conscious, small satellites revolution will only remain as single shot opportunities and add up to space debris as well,” Dr Reddy said.

Another expert, Satish Chandra Jha, Chairman, National Technical Research Organisation said, “Small satellites are playing an important role in space applications. They are faster to build, cost effective and better packaged due to use of latest technologies.

Small satellite platforms can be adapted for optical, IR, thermal and radar imaging (micro-SAR) remote sensing with good resolution. ELINT platforms in triplets can also be built around small satellite buses and an appropriate constellation of ELINT and imaging satellites (inclined orbits) can provide 24x7 surveillance of dynamic targets.”

Isro honorary president Dr P.S. Goel said, “Space is generally understood to be a complex, multidisciplinary and difficult technology. Generally, when we come across difficult and precision, we call it rocket science and leave it. Small satellites as a concept is reverse of the above concept, it enables not so professionals to take space activity as risks in small satellites are less.”

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