Manastu Space, a Mumbai-based space start-up, announced the successful in-orbit test of its propulsion system, Vyom 2U, onboard the PSLV Orbital Experimental Module-4 (POEM-4). The experiment involved a 30-second firing of the thruster, which tilted the platform by 24 degrees and imparted an angular velocity of 0.5 degrees per second. The onboard systems subsequently regained control.
The POEM-4 platform, derived from the fourth stage of the PSLV-C60 rocket, was launched earlier this week along with the SpaDeX satellites. It is currently in a 350 km orbit, facilitating in-space experiments by ISRO laboratories, start-ups, and educational institutions.
According to a statement from Manastu Space, the propulsion system uses MS289, a green propellant blend of hydrogen peroxide, which offers an alternative to traditional hydrazine-based propellants. This propellant is intended to provide a safer and more environmentally friendly solution for satellite operations.
In the coming days, the propulsion system will undergo additional maneuvers, with over 500 cumulative seconds of in-space firing planned to validate the technology further. The POEM platform is hosting a total of 24 experiments, including initiatives from ISRO labs and private entities. These experiments aim to test various technologies, such as robotic arms for debris capture, seed germination in space, and other advancements.
The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) highlighted the POEM platform as a cost-effective solution that enables start-ups and academic institutions to test space technologies without launching standalone satellites.
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