The action marks a key milestone in India’s commitment to space sustainability as it has no orbital debris.
India’s space program continues to be combined with innovation and environmental responsibility. On April 4, 2025, the PSLV Orbital Experimental Module (Poem-4) – the final phase of the redefinition of the PSLV-C60 rocket was launched on December 30, 2024 – successfully completed the re-entry of a controlled atmosphere and splashed into the Indian ocean at 08:03 IST. The action marks a key milestone in India’s commitment to space sustainability as it has no orbital debris.
Poem-4 acts as a unique platform with 24 payloads, 14 of which are from ISRO, and 10 payloads from non-government entities. Among them, the best is BGS-ARPIT, a radio communication payload developed by students from SJC Institute of Technology (SJCIT) (Chikkaballapur), under the Sri Adichunchanagiri Shikshana Trust. The project illustrates how academic curiosity, cutting-edge technology and spiritual guidance can work together to create space innovation.
The development of BGS-ARPIT was inspired by the vision and blessing of his holy Jagadguru Sri Sri Balagangadharanatha Mahaswamiji.
BGS-Arpit stands for “Amateur Radio Payload for Information Transmission” and was created in collaboration with Isro’s Upagraha Amateur Radio Club (UPARC) and India at the Ur Rao Satellite Center. The payload is designed as a multi-mode transmitter that can send messages from space using amateur radio frequencies, especially in the VHF band around 145 MHz (Megahertz). The frequency range commonly used by amateur radio operators makes it accessible to ground listeners around the world.
After entering the track, BGS-ARPIT started running shortly after startup, broadcasting various messages – from greeting notes to health status updates on the onboard system. For weeks, amateur radio enthusiasts around the world have adjusted to receive these signals via Slow Scan TV (SSTV) which includes text, audio and even potential image transmissions. The payload becomes a live classroom for students and amateurs, demonstrating the realistic application of communication systems in space.
Poem-4 executes the model task configuration file when BGS Arpit is running on track. After the main Spadex satellite was deployed to a 475km orbit, the stage was lowered to a lower circular orbit about 350km to speed up orbit attenuation. ISRO ensures safe operation by passivating the stage, i.e. eliminating the remaining fuel to eliminate the risk of explosion. Using India’s IS4OM (ISRO system for safe and sustainable space operation management) and tracking data from the U.S. Space Command, the Poem-4’s decline was accurately monitored. By April 4, its altitude had dropped to 174 km x 165 km and was safely directed to the fiery but planned re-entry of the Indian Ocean.
The significance of BGS-ARPIT is not in its size or lifespan, but in the powerful message it conveys, demonstrating the goals students can achieve through an ecosystem of correct support, guidance and purpose. It empowers students to gain hands-on space communication experience, contributes to the global amateur radio community and demonstrates the potential of academic institutions in India’s larger space missions.
As the world struggles to deal with the growing problems of space debris, the Debris-Free Space Mission (DFSM) aims to fully clean the mission by 2030, which provides a positive path forward. The disposal of Poem-4 is a textbook example of the initiative, enhancing India’s leadership in safe and sustainable space practices.
In this journey, BGS-ARPIT shines in the form of a symbolic payload – born from values, based on science, and one with vision. Although its body has re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere, its signal (in 145 MHz) still echoes in the hearts of young people who dare to dream from classrooms in Karnataka to reach vast spaces.
(The author of this article is a defense, aerospace and political analyst based in Bangalore. He is also the director of Add Engineering Gmbh, Germany’s Add Engineering Components, India, Pvt. Ltd.
(Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author’s own views and do not reflect the views of DNA)
