PILOT is flying!
One fine day, towards the end of my final semester (May 2019) at IIST, my professor Dr. Priyadarshnam calls me up for a meeting with Dean R&D. He asked to attend the meeting and propose a project idea. It was about 11 AM in the morning and the meeting was scheduled at around 1 PM in afternoon. I had just woken up and was barely in my senses. I started recollecting all the thoughts and ideas by now.
Taking inspiration from ARIS which had just flown aboard PSLV-C45 (which functioned pretty well in the spent fourth stage of PSLV), I too started thinking in that direction. During my first semester, I was working at the Satellite lab (now SSPACE) for the development of an On-board computer for small satellites. At the same time, Joji was also developing a TTC board. Both of these boards were almost ready and all they needed was power and a 1U supporting structure.
Now that I had an OBC and a TTC, which was to fly aboard PSLV, I named it PSLV In-orbitaL testing of OBC and TTC or PILOT.
I presented this idea on a two slide PPT during the meeting, and it was well appreciated. Today, after almost four years, after a few changes, the idea is materialized, and PILOT is all set to fly aboard POEM-2 of ISRO’s PSLV C-55.
As ISRO is preparing itself for the launch of its workhorse rocket PSLV on 22nd April 2023, I am eagerly waiting for PILOT to fly. I am sure this excitement is much more for the students and faculty members who have worked on the project.
Here are some photos of the PILOT package Visit this page to know more about PILOT.
