From classroom to cosmos: Hyderabad students' CubeSat set for ISRO launch
Hyderabad: Maria Montessori’s concept of “scientific pedagogy” has reached an extraordinary milestone – beyond the classroom and into space. On January 12 at 10:17 am, as Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) PSLV–C62 will lift off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh, carrying a CubeSat payload conceived, engineered and built entirely by a team of 17 middle-school students from Hyderabad.
This marks the first time in India that schoolchildren have independently engineered, coded, and assembled a flight-ready satellite. While CubeSats are typically the domain of universities and startups, this student-led mission breaks new ground in STEM education.
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ISRO launches Bahubali satellite into orbit; Modi, Naidu laud missionSpeaking to press persons at the MediaPlus auditorium here on Thursday, January 8, the students said their CubeSat was built from first principles using real sensors, firmware and engineering constraints. The project followed the “structural autonomy” pedagogy developed by the Blue Blocks Micro Research Institute.
The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACE) has formally cleared the CubeSat, created by the Blue Blocks Montessori School in Gachibowli.
Student-led innovationThe team of 17 students are: Sanshary, Sanjay, Sreshta, Umme Hani, Saachi, Ashrit, Manish, Ashrit Reddy, Ranveer, Kartieya, Varun, Viaan, Dhruti, Amaira, Vedika and Pratista.
Two students – Sanjay and Sanshray – will even sit in ISRO’s machine control room during the launch. Their CubeSat is expected to remain active for six to eight months, transmitting raw data on temperature, humidity and weather conditions from an altitude of 450 km.
The students collaborated with scientists from Take Me 2 Space, a satellite-building company, to ensure technical accuracy.
A visionary school programmeThe initiative was spearheaded by Pavan Goyal and Muneera Husain, co-founders of Blue Blocks Montessori School. Inspired by the success of Chandramana’s lunar landing in August 2023, the school launched a dedicated space programme.
From Class 7 onwards, students are trained in drone technology, electronics, 3D printing and design thinking. The school boasts a space lab, an innovation lab and a drone lab, nurturing creativity and problem-solving skills.
The young innovators credit their teamwork, leadership, and resilience to the teachings of former president APJ Abdul Kalam, whose vision continues to inspire India’s youth.
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