New Delhi: Space Kidz India, a Chennai-based aerospace startup that works closely with ISRO to launch student satellites, has embarked on a global initiative called the ShaktiSAT mission, with the aim to use space exploration to inspire and empower 12,000 young girls across 108 countries. The mission was formally announced at Maharashtra Sadan here, which is part of a global movement to foster STEM education among young women. The President of India, Droupadi Murmu is expected to unveil the official poster for the mission in the next three missions. 108 girl students will be part of the mission from each participating country. The ShakthiSAT mission aims to foster internal collaboration, and ignite interest in the possibilities of space sciences.
Mission Lead for ShakthiSAT, Srimathy Kesan said, “As I share the vision behind Mission ShakthiSAT, I would like to emphasize a sentiment deeply embedded in the spirit of this initiative—the incredible strength of women. Throughout history, women have faced numerous challenges and adversities. Yet, time and again, they have shown resilience, determination, and an unshakable ability to rise above the toughest of circumstances. Our goal is to inspire and empower young women, providing them with opportunities that have the power to transform lives and unite us globally through the awe-inspiring domain of space exploration.”
What Space Kidz India does
Space Kidz India has previously designed, fabricated and launched small satellites, spacecraft and deployed ground systems as well. The goal of the organisation is to cater to the needs of outreach, research and industry in the space domain. Space Kidz India has been operating for over seven years, and has launched over 18 BaloonSats, deployed three suborbital payloads and four orbital satellites. Beyond ISRO, Space Kidz also works closely with NASA, ESA and GCTC from Russia, and has most recently launched the Space Rickshaw on ISRO’s SSLV-D3 mission.
