The student team at BITS Pilani Dubai Campus (BPDC) has successfully completed the Engineering Model phase of MAHASAT—one of the UAE’s pioneering student-led CubeSat initiatives. This milestone marks the transition into the next critical phase of satellite development: testing and flight readiness.
Originally launched in late 2023, MAHASAT is a flagship academic initiative by BPDC in collaboration with Edutech4Space. It aims to design, build, and eventually launch a 1U CubeSat entirely led by students. Over the past year and a half, the team has progressed through mission design, subsystem prototyping, and now the successful development of a fully integrated engineering model. The project reflects the university’s strong commitment to experiential learning in aerospace and space technology, and has been carried out under the academic supervision of the BPDC faculty team, with Prof. Raja Muthalagu serving as the faculty in charge.
The Engineering Model (EM) acts as a working prototype to test and confirm how the CubeSat’s systems will function together before building the final flight version. The satellite includes essential subsystems such as the On-Board Computer (OBC), Electrical Power System (EPS), battery, antenna deployment system, solar panels, and the Attitude Determination and Control System (ADCS).
As part of this phase, the MAHASAT team also developed solar and tumbling simulator setups. These tools helped students understand real-world challenges in power management and orientation control.
Throughout the phase, students worked hands-on with hardware and coding—building and testing subsystems like the EPS, tracking orientation using sensors (IMUs), monitoring temperature, and processing images. They were also introduced to Software Defined Radio (SDR) to practice how satellites communicate with ground stations using radio signals.
In parallel, students utilised the VHF-UHF ground station at BITS Pilani Dubai Campus to track real satellites, reinforcing their understanding of telemetry and communication. The real-time data was used to simulate CubeSat downlink operations and analyse signal behaviour for educational insights.
“MAHASAT is a testament to the power of student-led innovation, academic collaboration, and real-world engineering,” said Prof. Souri Banerjee, Director of BITS Pilani Dubai Campus. “This successful completion of the Engineering Model reflects our commitment to providing hands-on, interdisciplinary learning that aligns with national space goals.”
Dr. Shrisudha Viswanathan, Founder of Edutech4Space, added: “This partnership with BITS Pilani Dubai Campus demonstrates what happens when passionate students are given access to expert mentorship and state-of-the-art learning tools. Under the visionary guidance of Dr. Mylswamy Annadurai, the mind behind India’s Moon and Mars missions, the MAHASAT team has benefitted immensely from real-world aerospace insights. The engineering milestone of MAHASAT is not just a technical achievement—it’s a learning revolution in aerospace education.”
This phase concluded with the integration of all modules into a functional satellite prototype. Key validations included internal communication stability, power performance under simulated load, and synchronized subsystem operations.
With the Engineering Model phase completed, the MAHASAT team is now moving into Phase-4, which involves environmental testing, further software development, and the preparation of the final flight model. The project continues to serve as a unique platform for hands-on learning and innovation in the UAE’s growing space technology sector.
