Sharook’s project was funded by Space Kidz India, an organization dedicated to educating young people in science and technology and guiding them toward careers in the field. Sharook is also a member of the NASA Kids’ Club. All of the materials for the project were locally sourced, according to Sharook.
“We designed it completely from scratch,” said Sharook. “It will have a new kind of on-board computer and eight indigenous built-in sensors to measure acceleration, rotation and the magnetosphere of the earth. The main challenge was to design an experiment to be flown to space which would fit into a four-meter cube weighing 64 grams.”
While the KalamSat will be Sharook’s first project to make outer space, it is not his first invention. Two years ago, he built a helium weather balloon as a part of nationwide competition for young scientists.
