HSE, University of Delhi, and Geoscan Launch Space Research Project
.jpg "HSE, University of Delhi, and Geoscan Launch Space Research Project")
HSE University and the University of Delhi (India), in partnership with Geoscan (a portfolio company of the Innopraktika non-state development institute), have agreed to establish an international scientific mirror laboratory on data storage, processing, and transmission in space systems. The agreement was signed on January 15, 2025, during a visit to India by an HSE University delegation led by Rector Nikita Anisimov.
Since 2022, HSE University has been steadily building collaborations with leading Indian universities, with its campus in St Petersburg overseeing this initiative. ‘The launch of the mirror laboratory is not just a new stage in Russian-Indian scientific cooperation but a synergy of our joint efforts. This project combines the expertise of Russia and India in space technologies and strengthens global connections for advancing cutting-edge research,’ emphasised Anna Tyshetskaya, director of HSE University-St Petersburg and the project initiator.
HSE University-St Petersburg will coordinate the project, utilising the resources and expertise of all HSE campuses. The laboratory will focus on educational initiatives in space technologies, research in space communication, satellite development and monitoring training, and providing data for projects in astrophysics, meteorology, geography, and astrobiology.
The project partner, Geoscan (a portfolio company of the Innopraktika non-state development institute), specialises in developing unmanned aerial systems, small spacecraft, and software for data processing and 3D visualisation. In 2023, the company launched the Network of Open Ground Stations (SONICS). These stations allow students to interact with an open satellite network, collect data, and gain experience. Students have already acquired over 1,000 images and more than 15 million data packets using this network.
As part of the mirror laboratory’s work, Indian universities are expected to join the SONICS system. With Geoscan's support, the collaboration will expand in the areas of small spacecraft development and data sharing with the SONICS system. Plans also include creating a fully functional 3U CubeSat satellite model for educational purposes, complete with all the capabilities of a real satellite, and developing educational materials for students on small spacecraft design and operation.
Anna Tyshetskaya
‘This project is unique for us: we are launching it with the support of Russian technological leaders and in partnership with a leading Indian university. This is not just a joint laboratory but a ground-breaking project that opens a new direction in our international activities,’ said Anna Tyshetskaya.
Nikita Anisimov
HSE University Rector Nikita Anisimov emphasised the importance of the partnership with the University of Delhi. He recalled that in April 2024, an agreement on strategic cooperation and joint actions was signed, establishing an HSE research hub at the University of Delhi. ‘Today, this hub is gradually being filled with concrete projects, such as the mirror laboratory for space research,’ he said.
Nikita Anisimov also highlighted the significance of Russian-Indian cooperation in space research.
‘Cooperation in space is a priority area of Russian-Indian strategic interaction. I am confident that our mirror laboratory will contribute to this process. HSE University, particularly through Tikhonov Moscow Institute of Electronics and Mathematics (MIEM), has developed significant expertise in information technologies, including data storage and transmission, as well as in innovative technologies for space research, and we are ready to share this experience for our common cause. The involvement of industrial partners like Innopraktika and Geoscan is also crucial. Their competencies and experience provide the foundation needed to realise all our plans,’ he stated.
Yogesh Singh
‘I am very pleased to see familiar faces here at the University of Delhi. This is already the fifth visit by an HSE delegation to India, and with each visit, our collaboration becomes stronger. Last time, Rector Nikita Anisimov visited us, and our representatives also travelled to Russia. We truly have much in common and much to learn from each other,’ said Vice Chancellor of University of Delhi Yogesh Singh. ‘Strengthening our cooperation will benefit both sides. For instance, currently, there are only a few Russian students studying with us, but we would like to see this number grow in the near future.’ Yogesh Singh expressed hope that joint educational and research projects ‘will benefit the young and talented minds of Russia and India, helping us achieve numerous goals for the common good.’
Natalia Popova
Natalia Popova, First Deputy General Director of Innopraktika, noted that this was her first visit to the University of Delhi. ‘I am visiting the University of Delhi for the first time, and from my very first moments here, I felt how closely connected our cultures are. Together, we can implement numerous research and educational projects across various fields, conduct seminars, hackathons, and accelerators,’ commented Natalia Popova. Collaboration with leading Russian and Indian universities in the field of space research is a promising area and an important step ‘on our shared path to a high-tech future,’ she emphasised.
The University of Delhi, established in 1922, is a leading Indian university renowned for its high standards of teaching and research. It comprises 16 faculties and 86 departments across its campuses and is one of the largest university systems in the world, with over 400,000 students enrolled in its campuses and affiliated colleges.
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