Guwahati: Assam Don Bosco University (ADBU) is set to create history with the launch of LACHIT-1 (Live Amateur Communication Hub for Innovative Technologies – One), the first satellite developed from Assam and the Northeast, aboard ISRO’s PSLV-C62 on January 12.
The satellite will be launched under Hyderabad-based Dhruva Space’s Polar Access-1 (PA-1) programme, marking a significant milestone for space technology and academic innovation in the region.
The LACHIT-1 mission 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.
Named after Ahom general Lachit Borphukan, the satellite reflects the region’s historical legacy while showcasing its growing technological capabilities.
Developed under Dhruva Space’s ASTRA (Accelerated Space Technology Readiness & Access) for Academia programme, LACHIT-1 is built on the company’s flight-qualified P-DoT satellite platform.
The ADBU team worked through the complete mission preparation cycle with technical support from Dhruva Space, covering integration, functional testing, interface validation and launch readiness reviews.
The satellite will be deployed in orbit using Dhruva Space’s DSOD-1U separation system.
Once in orbit, the mission will be operated from ADBU using a VHF/UHF ground station and Dhruva Space’s Integrated Space Operations Command Suite (ISOCS).
In the run-up to the launch, students and faculty have carried out subsystem checks, rehearsed communication procedures and established a full mission-control workflow to support satellite operations.
LACHIT-1 has been designed to demonstrate a store-and-forward communication system using amateur radio frequencies, allowing short messages transmitted from the ground to be stored onboard and relayed back to Earth during subsequent satellite passes.
The system has potential applications in emergency and disaster-response scenarios, particularly in regions where conventional communication networks are disrupted by floods, landslides or outages.
Vice-Chancellor of Assam Don Bosco University, Fr. (Dr) Jose Palely, described the mission as a landmark moment for the region.
He said LACHIT-1 represents the Northeast’s intent to contribute meaningfully to India’s space ecosystem and underlines the role academic institutions can play by combining 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 few locations.
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He said 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.
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 Don Bosco University (ADBU) initiated its Space Programme in 2022 and has since expanded its activities in satellite engineering, mission operations, and ground-station management, according to Prof. Vikramjit Kakati, Director of ADBU’s Research and Development Cell and Mission Director of the Lachit-1 satellite project.
