Guwahati, Jan 11: Assam Don Bosco University (ADBU) is set to create history with the launch of LACHIT-1—the first satellite developed from Assam and the Northeast—aboard ISRO’s PSLV-C62 on January 12, marking a landmark moment for academic-led space innovation in the region.
The satellite, formally titled Live Amateur Communication Hub for Innovative Technologies – One (LACHIT-1), will be launched under Hyderabad-based Dhruva Space’s Polar Access-1 (PA-1) programme, integrating the Northeast into India’s rapidly expanding private–academic space ecosystem.
LACHIT-1 is a student-led initiative, involving more than 50 students and faculty members drawn from across the Northeast, including Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. The mission reflects a rare end-to-end academic effort—spanning satellite design, integration, testing, and mission operations.
Named after the legendary Ahom general Lachit Borphukan, the satellite symbolically blends the region’s historical legacy with its emerging technological ambitions.
Developed under Dhruva Space’s ASTRA (Accelerated Space Technology Readiness & Access) for Academia programme, LACHIT-1 is built on the company’s P-DoT flight-qualified satellite platform. The ADBU team worked through the complete mission preparation cycle with technical support from Dhruva Space, covering subsystem integration, functional testing, interface validation, and launch readiness reviews.
The satellite will be deployed into orbit using Dhruva Space’s DSOD-1U separation system.
Once in orbit, LACHIT-1 will be operated directly from ADBU using a VHF/UHF ground station, supported by Dhruva Space’s Integrated Space Operations Command Suite (ISOCS). In the run-up to the launch, students and faculty conducted repeated subsystem checks, rehearsed communication procedures, and established a full mission-control workflow to support post-launch operations.
LACHIT-1 has been designed to demonstrate a store-and-forward satellite communication system using amateur radio frequencies. The system allows short messages transmitted from the ground to be stored onboard the satellite and relayed back to Earth during subsequent orbital passes.
This capability has potential applications in emergency and disaster-response scenarios, particularly in regions prone to floods, landslides, or communication outages—conditions frequently experienced across parts of the Northeast.
Vice-Chancellor of Assam Don Bosco University Jose Palely described the mission as a landmark achievement.
He said LACHIT-1 represents the Northeast’s intent to contribute meaningfully to India’s space ecosystem and underlines how academic institutions can combine rigorous learning with real-world application to nurture future-ready scientists and engineers.
Dhruva Space Director (Sales and Business Development) Avinash Maramraju said the mission demonstrates that advanced space capabilities are no longer confined to a handful of locations.
He noted that programmes such as Polar Access-1 and ASTRA for Academia have enabled ADBU to take a satellite from campus to orbit, integrating the Northeast’s technical talent into the national space ecosystem.
ADBU initiated its Space Programme in 2022 and has since expanded its activities in satellite engineering, mission operations, and ground-station management, according to Vikramjit Kakati, Director of ADBU’s Research and Development Cell and Mission Director of the LACHIT-1 project.
He said the programme reflects the university’s long-term commitment to building indigenous space technology capabilities while offering hands-on training to students from the region.
After becoming operational, LACHIT-1 will be accessible to the global amateur radio community, allowing licensed operators worldwide to participate in satellite communication experiments. Dhruva Space, in collaboration with the National Institute of Amateur Radio and ADBU, will also conduct training programmes focused on the use of amateur satellites for disaster communication and emergency response.
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said he is proud of all the 50 students involved in this project and elated that it is named after the legend Lachit Barphukan.
My best wishes to Assam Don Bosco University on the eve of historic launch of LACHIT-1, Northeast’s first satellite aboard ISRO’s PSLV-C62 tomorrow!🚀
This remarkable feat aligns with our Govt’s thrust towards popularising science & technology
I am proud of all the 50 students… pic.twitter.com/of4V2pkBnn
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) January 11, 2026
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