Assam Don Bosco University to launch Northeast's first satellite aboard ISRO rocket

Assam Don Bosco University will launch LACHIT-1, the first satellite from Northeast India, aboard ISRO's PSLV-C62 rocket on January 12. The launch marks a significant step in bringing space engineering capabilities to a region historically distant from India's space infrastructure.

The satellite mission, developed through Hyderabad-based Dhruva Space's Polar Access-1 programme, involved more than 50 students and faculty from across five northeastern states: Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. Named after Lachit Borphukan, the 17th-century Ahom military commander who defended Assam against Mughal forces, the satellite represents both technical ambition and regional identity.

LACHIT-1 will demonstrate a store-and-forward communication system using amateur radio frequencies. The satellite receives short messages from ground stations, stores them onboard, then transmits them back to Earth during subsequent orbital passes. This capability could prove valuable during emergencies when conventional networks fail—floods, landslides and infrastructure damage frequently disrupt communications across the mountainous Northeast.

Students and faculty at ADBU worked through the complete satellite preparation cycle with support from Dhruva Space's ASTRA (Accelerated Space Technology Readiness & Access) for Academia programme. The team completed integration workflows, functional testing, interface checks and launch readiness reviews. They also established ground station infrastructure on campus and trained on Dhruva Space's Integrated Space Operations Command Suite (ISOCS) software to manage the satellite once operational.

"LACHIT-1 is more than a satellite launch, it is a statement of intent from the Northeast," said Jose Palely, vice chancellor at Assam Don Bosco University. "By empowering our students to design, build, and operate a satellite in orbit, we are nurturing future-ready scientists, engineers, and leaders."

Following launch, LACHIT-1 will be accessible to licensed amateur radio operators worldwide, allowing the global community to participate in satellite communications experiments. Dhruva Space plans workshops with the National Institute of Amateur Radio and ADBU focusing on disaster communication and emergency response applications.

Avinash Maramraju, director of sales and business development at Dhruva Space, noted that the mission demonstrates "advanced Space capability is no longer geographically concentrated—it is emerging wherever institutions are prepared to build and operate real systems."

The university received an 'A' grade from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council and became the first private university in Northeast India to obtain SIRO certification from DSIRO, recognition of its research and development capabilities.