SAMBALPUR: The ceaseless collaborative efforts of a 35-member team of Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology (VSSUT) at Burla achieved another milestone on Monday when they successfully launched VSLV 2.0 (VSSUT Satellite Launch Vehicle) up to a height of 5,200 ft. The team members from almost all trades of engineering conducted the experiments on a small-scale model helping them to remove all glitches of the in-house indigenously built VSLV at Idea Lab of the university. After initial failures, the VSLV 2.0 was test-fired on an open field near Mahanadi river.
The payload of the flight also recorded significant scientific data related to atmospheric pressure and temperature. The data can be used to study weather changes in the environment. A more efficient, innovative and high calorific fuel composition was manufactured which enabled the rocket motor to achieve desired thrust.
Before the final flight, the rocket motor was statically tested numerous times for actual thrust calibration. The complete project is divided into 10 missions and the team is now focusing on the future editions which aim to launch the final mission of 40-km to monitor Hirakud Dam, sources said.
Recently, the team had also gained insights of NASA scientist David Fletcher at the DST Knowledge Hub programme organised in Bhubaneswar on December 8 last year. The VSSUT team had previously launched VSLV up to a height of 3,000 ft and concluded with the Champions Trophy at the Asia’s first Inter-college Rocket Competition organised on August 27 in New Delhi. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had also felicitated the team and ensured all support from the Government. They also received international acclaim at Russia from Ministry of Trade, Industry and Aviation.