MIT Launches Dual-Purpose Ground Station

In September 2024, MIT World Peace University (MIT-WPU) inaugurated a state-of-the-art Ground Station at its Pune campus, designed for both satellite reception and radio astronomy, marking a significant advancement in their nano-satellite initiative.

Key Points

Facility Overview: The newly established Ground Station features six antennas capable of receiving signals from satellites across various orbits including Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), High Elliptical Orbit (HEO), and Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO), allowing it to function as both a radio astronomy tool and a satellite communications platform.
Dual Capabilities: The Ground Station is equipped to handle signals from open-source satellites for weather data and telemetry from small satellites, while its specialized antennas enable the study of high-frequency cosmic signals, contributing to galaxy mapping, dark matter research, and radio imagery.
Student Involvement: Students from MIT-WPU’s Cosmos Club are actively engaged with the Ground Station, gaining practical experience by uploading data to satellites and working towards acquiring a HAM radio license.
Future Prospects: The Ground Station serves as a practical foundation for students to design and launch their own nanosatellites in the near future.
Current Operations: MIT-WPU’s Ground Station is engaged with NOAA and Meteor satellites, analyzing weather patterns and environmental changes, and has successfully contacted the International Space Station.