Bhutan’s third satellite is being built cost-effectively and efficiently
Last Updated on October 12, 2024 5:17 am
GovTech is currently engaged in a third satellite project aimed at developing the satellite with minimal cost and in a short time possible by employing lean satellite development principles.
This new satellite will use commercially available components that are ready for assembly, in contrast to the previous INS-2B satellite, which was indigenously designed and developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
The new satellite’s primary goal is to capture high-resolution images of Bhutan for various remote sensing applications, such as assessing the physical properties of land and other areas of interest. These images will be utilised by government agencies for diverse purposes, including agriculture, forestry, land use, and monitoring resources and infrastructure.
The project aims to enhance the knowledge and skills of Bhutanese engineers and students by providing hands-on experience in satellite development. To date, this initiative has focused on training new engineers and students in this critical field.
The data obtained from the satellite images will facilitate informed decision-making related to agriculture, forestry, snow cover, and landslide monitoring, among other areas. This valuable information will benefit several government agencies, including the National Land Commission, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, the Department of Forest and Park Services, the Department of Water, and the Department of Environment and Climate Change.
Students from the College of Science and Technology (CST) and Jigme Namgyel Engineering College (JNEC) will develop payloads for the satellite.
Students from CST plan to collect weather data using ground terminals located in remote areas, while students from JNEC intend to gather on-orbit magnetic field and radiation data to enhance their understanding of the space environment, according to an official from GovTech.
GovTech aims to complete the satellite by the end of 2025 or early 2026.
The team has selected a camera capable of capturing images with a resolution of 5 meters as the satellite’s payload.
“Based on our analysis, we anticipate the new satellite’s orbital lifespan to be between one and two years. Currently, we are approaching the solar maximum, which may reduce the satellite’s operational lifespan,” said the official.
It will be the first assembled satellite under the GovTech agency. The previous two satellites were launched by the esrtwhile Department of Information Technology and Telecom under the Ministry of Information and Communications in Bhutan.
The 17.8 kg INS-2B satellite deorbited in June 2024 and is expected to have completely disintegrated in the Earth’s atmosphere at an altitude of approximately 80 kilometres, as a result no parts of the satellite should have reached the Earth’s surface.
Around ten engineers from GovTech are collaborating with students CST and JNEC on this satellite project.