ISRO announced on Friday that the fourth edition of the PSLV Orbital platform Experiment Module (POEM-4), which is the repurposed spent upper stage of the PSLV vehicle used for a space docking experiment mission, successfully completed 1,000 orbits on March 4. The PSLV-C60 Mission, launched on December 30, 2024, enabled POEM-4 to begin its operations following the successful injection of the SpaDeX spacecraft.
According to ISRO, POEM-4 was configured as a three-axis stabilized platform that carried a total of 24 payloads, including 10 from Non-Governmental Entities (NGEs) and 14 from ISRO. Reports indicated that all payloads, including those from NGEs, had completed their intended experiments in orbit.
The agency specified that POEM-4 conducted various experiments related to space robotics, the germination of seeds, the growth of bacteria in microgravity, green propulsion, laser ignition of pyro thrusters, amateur radio transmission, and advanced sensors. Additionally, a space start-up reportedly tested the uplinking and execution of an AI model as part of an AI lab in space.
ISRO also noted that the avionics system for POEM-4 validated a Mission Management Computer based on the 'Made-in-India' 32-bit processor, Vikram3201, with a custom architecture developed by ISRO, along with the introduction of a Nano star sensor to assist the navigation system for the first time.
The platform utilised a reaction wheel-based stabilization system for attitude control, supplemented by cold gas thrusters that extended the module’s orbital life by at least 45 days compared to previous POEM missions. ISRO highlighted that POEM-4 carried the highest number of payloads among all POEM missions to date, underscoring its versatility as a cost-effective experimental platform for a diverse range of payloads.
In other news, Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw introduced the IndiaAI compute portal and the AIKosha dataset platform to mark the completion of a year of the IndiaAI Mission. These initiatives aim to improve access to artificial intelligence and promote innovation across various sectors as part of the broader objectives of the IndiaAI Mission.
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Inputs from PTI