IIT Bombay’s Daksha Mission is Charting a New Era for Indian Space Science

The Daksha mission at IIT Bombay aims to launch two of the world's best satellites, expanding the country’s capacity for high-energy astrophysics and space observation, making India more serious in studying the universe beyond the Fermi NASA space. Daksha with the help of ISRO and major research institutes will open new horizons in the field of high-energy astrophysics and cosmic research to India. 

What is IIT Bombay Doing? 

IIT Bombay's space mission called DAKSHA MISSION is set to revolutionize space research in India. The country will become one of the members of the global league of high-energy astrophysics and high-tech space observation. Arranged by Professor Varun Bhalerao and a group of the most elite institutes of research in India, Daksha is making international news over its radical decision to put two state-of-the-art satellites into the sky with super advanced space telescopes.

What Sets Daksha Apart?

The telescopes of Daksha are designed to observe a phenomenal 1.81 million cubic megaparsecs of the universe, nearly five times as much space as the legendary Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope of NASA. This unprecedented scale will enable Indian scientists to observe and study cosmic events at a depth and scale previously unattainable in the country.

Cooperation and technological advancement

The project which started in 2018, stands as the model for Pan-India scientific collaboration.   Other important collaborators are the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Raman Research Institute (RRI), Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) and the Inter-University Centre of Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA). Importantly, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) supports Daksha, including a technical background and the prospective launch services. By December 2022, the mission met all technical requirements; it is anticipated to soon clear financial and central policy requirements, indicating a high level of confidence in the project readiness and national significance.

Mission Objectives and Impact.

The main aim of Daksha is to study high-energy cosmic events, particularly, gamma-ray bursts of black holes and neutron stars that are some of the most enigmatic and intense events in the universe. The satellites shall record ultra-accurate data that will:

• Advance global understanding of the mechanisms behind cosmic explosions.
• Luminate relationships between the solar activity and the atmosphere processes on the Earth.
• Invest in collaborative work and new discoveries by Indian and foreign scientists making India the hub of new-fangled astrophysics. 

How will Daksh Benefit India? 

• Global Leadership: This is a mission that drives India to the upper rank of nations that dominate the multi-wavelength astronomy and high-energy research.
• STEM Development: Daksha will increase the number of research opportunities to Indian students, encourage foreign academic partners, and encourage a new generation of scientists.
• Scientific Diplomacy: India aims to increase its presence in the international scientific circles and missions through the creation of high-value, open-source cosmic data.

What Happens Next?

As the technical milestones are accomplished and the financial approval is expected soon, Daksha is about to become a landmark scientific achievement of the country. When these satellites become functional, the country will be in a position to become a world leader in the area of space-sciences, providing information that may redefine our perception of the universe