When a Satellite Fails, Who Gets the Lesson?

A Window into the Experience- The High-Altitude Classroom: Why the Silence of LACHIT-1 is the Greatest Lesson for Northeast India

Executive Summary

The development of Northeast India’s inaugural LACHIT-1 satellite- a 1U CubeSat, by students at Assam Don Bosco University (ADBU) in collaboration with Hyderabad-based Dhruva Space results in "knowledge equity"- comprising a functional ground station and a workforce of space-ready engineers- marks a permanent shift in Northeast India's socio-economic trajectory, as the region's geography makes it uniquely vulnerable to landslides, floods, and earthquakes- events that frequently cripple terrestrial communication networks. For decades, the Northeast was a consumer of satellite data; today, it is a developer of satellite technology. The mission focused on Store-and-Forward logic- a "celestial postman" designed to collect IoT data from remote, disaster-prone regions and relay it to ground stations when traditional networks fail. The student-led LACHIT-1 mission has successfully transferred "NewSpace" expertise to the banks of the Brahmaputra. The "technical confidence" noted by the department is a tangible asset that will fuel the region's burgeoning tech economy.

Carried on Dhruva Space’s Polar Access-1 mission aboard ISRO’s PSLV-DL-C62 rocket on 12 January 2026, LACHIT-1 was lost after an anomaly in the rocket’s third stage. Despite the technical loss of the satellite during the PSLV-C62 launch anomaly, students at Assam Don Bosco University (ADBU) have successfully pivoted to a "Mission-Forward" mindset. Rather than viewing the loss as a terminal failure, the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE) at ADBU has leveraged the project as a high-value crucible for industrial literacy. To formalize this transition from hardware to heritage, the department organized a comprehensive experience-sharing interaction on Feb 4, 2026. This session featured a detailed briefing by student presenters Herric Kurbah Cleven and W. Jolly Singha (B.Tech. EEE, 4th Semester), who were part of the LACHIT-1 developer team. The presenters disseminated critical technical insights and mission journey milestones to fellow students and faculty, cementing a new era of "knowledge equity" in regional aerospace. About 30 students were present in the audience.

---

The Lede: The Architecture of Iteration

To look through the window of the LACHIT-1 mission is to see more than a technical blueprint; it is to witness the anatomy of regional ambition. While the physical craft may have fallen silent in the vacuum of space following the PSLV-C62 anomaly, the "High-Altitude Classroom" it created remains vibrantly alive in the laboratories of ADBU.

In the history of exploration, the line between a setback and a breakthrough is rarely drawn by the hardware that survives, but by the minds that remain. The early days of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory were defined by rockets that rarely left the launchpad; the democratization of space in the 21st century by SpaceX and ISRO was built upon a foundation of "successful failures." While a third-stage malfunction eventually claimed the physical craft, the silence that followed has become a profound statement of intent. For Northeast India, the mission was never merely about reaching orbit; it was about the intellectual architecture required to look upward.

The Context: Breaking the Celestial Silence

The ambition of LACHIT-1 (Live Amateur Communication Hub for Innovative Technologies–One) was as much cultural as it was technical. Developed in collaboration with Dhruva Space Centre, the CubeSat was designed to end the Northeast’s era of "celestial silence." Named after the legendary Ahom general Lachit Borphukan—a figure synonymous with regional resilience—the satellite was engineered to be a "high-altitude postman."

Built on Dhruva Space’s flight-qualified P-DoT platform, the technical objective was sophisticated: a store-and-forward communication system. In a region where geography frequently cripples terrestrial networks during floods or landslides, LACHIT-1 was intended to receive, store, and relay critical data packets to disaster-response centers. This was not merely a student project; it was a prototype for regional survival.

Topology meets vulnerability: A cartographic snapshot of Assam and neighbouring states, superimposed with flood, landslide and network-outage risk zones, illustrating the environment that motivated LACHIT-1’s design.

The Blueprint of Ambition: A Technical Deep-Dive

On February 4th, ADBU’s Azara campus transitioned from mission control to a masterclass. The briefing served as a comprehensive autopsy of the LACHIT-1 journey, where student presenters Cleven and Singha pulled back the curtain on the complexities of small-satellite engineering.

Architecture and Autonomy

The core of the presentation focused on the sophisticated anatomy of a CubeSat. The presenters dissected the delicate synergy between vital subsystems:

1. The Structural Chassis: Designed for the rigors of atmospheric exit.
2. The Electrical Power System (EPS): The lifeblood of the craft.
3. Onboard Computing: The "brain" managing autonomous operations.

A primary highlight was the Store-and-Forward logic—a robust communication protocol designed to act as a celestial postman. The presenters explained how this technology ensures data survival in disconnected terrains, turning a 10cm cube into a vital utility for disaster-prone regions.

From Cleanrooms to Ground Stations

The narrative bridged the gap between theoretical schematics and industrial reality. Through the lens of Dhruva Space’s Polar Access-1 programme, the presenters shared the rigors of satellite integration and the technical orchestration required to manage a functional ground station. This was about more than code; it was about the technical exposure gained from industrial visits and research facilities, providing a tangible roadmap for real-world electronics and satellite engineering.

The Crucible: A Trial by Fire

The transition from the laboratory to the launchpad is where theoretical physics meets the "cruel mathematics" of aerospace. The recent briefing at ADBU, led by Herric Kurbah Cleven and W. Jolly Singha, did not shy away from the events of January 12. The PSLV-C62 mission, while proceeding normally through its initial phases, encountered a critical malfunction in its third stage (PS3), preventing the payload from reaching its intended coordinates and achieving orbital insertion. Near the end of the third stage of the four-stage Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, ISRO reported a disturbance and flight-path deviation; as a result, the rocket could not complete orbit placement and all 16 satellites aboard, including LACHIT-1, were lost to space. A failure analysis committee has since been convened to examine telemetry and data.

This outcome is stark: there was no recovery of the flight hardware, and the satellite itself did not become operational in orbit. Yet not all material progress vanished with it. The intellectual and infrastructural investments remain intact.

To the uninitiated, the loss of hardware represents a void. However, in the sophisticated theater of "NewSpace," this was a trial by fire that provided data points no classroom could simulate. Under the ASTRA (Accelerated Space Technology Readiness & Access) programme, these fourth-semester students moved through the entire lifecycle of a space mission—from interface validation to the rigors of launch-readiness reviews. They witnessed firsthand the synergy of subsystems- Electrical Power Systems (EPS), Onboard Computing, and Telemetry- facing the unpredictable variables of flight. The setback was objective, but the educational yield was absolute.

The Knowledge Equity: The Pivot to Resilience

The narrative of LACHIT-1 has successfully pivoted from "what was lost" to "what was retained." This is what economists and educators call Knowledge Equity. While the satellite may rest at the bottom of the ocean, the intellectual infrastructure at the ADBU campus is more robust than ever.

During the February 4th briefing, Cleven and Singha highlighted that the mission’s most critical components remain on the ground, ready for deployment:

• Functional Ground Infrastructure: The university’s VHF/UHF ground station facility at the Tapesia campus, integrated with Dhruva Space’s mission-operations suite, is fully operational. It remains a permanent piece of space-infrastructure, capable of tracking and data reception for future missions, effectively putting the Northeast on the global amateur radio map.

• Industrial Literacy: Over 50 students across five states have been trained in satellite integration and mission operations. This specialized workforce is now ready to feed into India’s $13 billion space economy—a feat that would have been impossible through theoretical study alone.

• Verified IP: The store-and-forward logic developed for the mission is now verified intellectual property, a blueprint that is already being refined and hardened for the next iteration.

Future Horizons: The Road to LACHIT-2

The horizon for the Department of EEE is now defined by a "sophisticated optimism." The anomaly of PSLV-C62 is being treated not as a disaster, but as a result that dictates the next experiment. The university is already positioning itself to lead a "Northeastern Space Consortium," sharing its integration expertise and ground-station-as-a-service (GSaaS) capabilities with neighboring institutions.

The road to LACHIT-2 is paved with the technical confidence gained from the first mission. Redundancy planning and launch-vehicle dynamics are now part of the student vocabulary. By participating in the NewSpace philosophy—leveraging private sector infrastructure to empower academic innovation—ADBU has ensured that the "first-mover" advantage remains with them. The mission has redefined success; it has proven that technical excellence is geographically agnostic.

Key Quotes

• "We didn't just build a satellite; we built a space program in a region that was told to keep its eyes on the ground." — Mission Briefing Note.

• "The Department is immensely proud of our students. They have demonstrated that in science, there are no failures—only results that dictate the next experiment." — Department Statement.

• "LACHIT-1 represents the Northeast's intent to contribute meaningfully to India's space ecosystem, combining rigorous learning with real-world application." — Fr. (Dr) Jose Palely, Vice-Chancellor, ADBU.

Conclusion: Looking Up from the Brahmaputra

The briefing in Azara was not a conclusion, but a commencement. LACHIT-1 has proven that the only true barrier to the stars is the limit of one's ambition. As the briefing ended, the message to the junior batches was clear: the hardware is replaceable, but the culture of research and the "Lachit spirit" are now indelible parts of the university's DNA.

The stars have not moved. They are simply waiting for the next pass. The university now invites its students and the broader technical community to engage with the Mission Control Room at the Tapesia Campus, where the pulse of the Northeast’s aerospace future continues to beat, louder than ever.

--------------------------------------

Written by Jesif Ahmed

From a University Lab to Orbit: How the ADBU’s Student-Built LACHIT-1 Satellite Made History for Northeast India

From a University in Assam to the Stars

When you picture a satellite being built, you might imagine a sprawling, high-security government facility. You probably don't picture a university campus in Assam. Yet, that's exactly where a piece of Indian space history is just about to be made. A team of students and faculty at Assam Don Bosco University (ADBU) have successfully designed, built, and will launch LACHIT-1 (Live Amateur Communication Hub for Innovative Technologies – One), the very first satellite from India's entire Northeast region.

The Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE) of ADBU, is pleased to highlight the achievement of two of its B.Tech. fourth-semester students—Mr. Herric Cleven Kurbah of Meghalaya and Ms. W. Jolly Singha of Silchar—who were members of the successful student group. Dr. Pushpanjalee Konwar, Head of the Department, remarked, “Their achievement reflects the dedication, talent, and steadily advancing academic excellence of our EEE students. We are delighted by their success and take great pride in their accomplishments.”

LACHIT-1 is more than just a successful science project; it's a landmark achievement that has put an entire region on the nation's space map. The mission, which will be launched aboard ISRO's famously reliable PSLV- DL-C62 rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 10:17 am IST on 12 January 2026, as part of a larger commercial mission called Dhruva Space's Polar Access-1 (PA-1), marks a new era of decentralized innovation.

1. A Historic First: Putting an Entire Region on the Space Map

It’s more than a satellite; it’s a symbol of regional pride.

LACHIT-1 (Live Amateur Communication Hub for Innovative Technologies – One) is the very first satellite developed in Assam and the broader Northeast, representing the aspirations of all eight states: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura. Its launch is a powerful statement about the region's growing technological capabilities.

To honor this milestone, the satellite is named after the revered 17th-century Ahom general, Lachit Borphukan. The name serves as a bridge, connecting the region's celebrated historical legacy of leadership with its ambitious future in space technology.

LACHIT-1 represents the Northeast’s intent to contribute meaningfully to India’s space ecosystem and underlines the role academic institutions can play by combining rigorous learning with real-world application to nurture future-ready scientists and engineers.

2. The Mission: A "Cosmic Mailbox" That Could Save Lives

Its core function is simple, but its application is powerful.

The satellite's primary function is to demonstrate a "store-and-forward" communication system. You can think of it as a "cosmic mailbox." It can receive a short message from a ground station, store it onboard as it orbits the Earth, and then relay that message back down when it passes over another location.

This technology has a critical potential application that could be a lifeline for the region. In emergency scenarios like floods or landslides, where conventional communication networks are often disrupted, LACHIT-1 could serve as a vital backup link for emergency responders to send and receive essential information.

Operating on amateur radio frequencies, the satellite is also an open platform for a global community of licensed operators. To ensure the mission creates a lasting legacy, Dhruva Space, in collaboration with the National Institute of Amateur Radio and ADBU, will conduct training programmes focused on using amateur satellites for disaster communication and emergency response, turning this single achievement into a sustainable educational platform.

Projects like LACHIT-1 are a perfect example of education in action. According to Fr. (Dr) Jose Palely, Vice-Chancellor of ADBU, the mission showcases how academic institutions can combine "rigorous learning with real-world application to nurture future-ready scientists and engineers."

3. The Makers: A Dream Team of Students, Mentors, and National Heroes

This wasn't built in isolation—it was a masterclass in collaboration.

The LACHIT-1 mission was driven by the collaborative energy of over 50 students and faculty from Assam Don Bosco University (ADBU), with members from across the Northeast, including Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, and Manipur. This team effort was made possible by a sophisticated public-private synergy that is becoming a force multiplier for India's space ambitions.

This modern space ecosystem functions as a clear, repeatable pathway to orbit:

• The Students of ADBU: They were the core team at the heart of the project. As part of Dhruva Space’s ASTRA (Accelerated Space Technology Readiness & Access) for Academia program, they designed, built, and meticulously tested the satellite, gaining invaluable hands-on experience.

• Dhruva Space (The Private Enabler): Acting as the "general contractor," the Hyderabad-based "full-stack" space infrastructure company provided the end-to-end support that made the project feasible. They supplied the core P-DoT satellite platform, the DSOD-1U system to deploy it from the rocket, and established the VHF/UHF ground station on the ADBU campus—complete with their Integrated Space Operations Command Suite (ISOCS) software—to operate the mission.

• IN-SPACe (The Regulatory Gatekeeper): The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre provided the official authorization, acting as the single-window "rule-keeper" for private sector space activities.

• NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) (The Commercial Gateway): As ISRO's commercial arm, NSIL served as the "booking agent," procuring the launch service and enabling private missions like LACHIT-1 to fly on national assets.

• ISRO (The Heavy-Lifting Muscle): The Indian Space Research Organisation provided the powerful and proven PSLV-C62 rocket, the heavy-lifting muscle that carried LACHIT-1 and the aspirations of its creators safely to orbit.

4. The Blueprint: Proving Great Ideas Can Come from Anywhere

The LACHIT-1 mission created a repeatable recipe for success.

This mission serves as a powerful blueprint for the democratization of space, proving how other universities and regions can actively participate in high-end technology development. By successfully taking a satellite from a university campus to orbit, the project proves that world-class innovation is not limited to traditional technology hubs.

This achievement validates a full-stack commercial model that helps decentralize India's space ecosystem, tapping into a wider national talent pool and empowering new regional hubs. It is a tangible demonstration that, as Dhruva Space Director Avinash Maramraju stated, "... advanced space capabilities are no longer confined to a few locations."

LACHIT-1: A Small Satellite's Giant Leap

LACHIT-1 is far more than just a piece of hardware circling the globe. It is a "classroom in the sky" that has given dozens of students invaluable real-world experience, nurturing a new generation of scientists and engineers. It is also a powerful symbol of a new, more inclusive, and collaborative era in India's space journey.

The successful launch is not an end, but a beginning. It proves a pathway for academic institutions everywhere to turn ambitious ideas into orbiting realities, validating a scalable model for public-private synergy. With the path now proven, what new corner of India will be the next to reach for the stars?

---------------------------------------------------------

Written by Jesif Ahmed.