RRI Develops ‘PRATUSH’ Radiometer to Detect Cosmic Dawn Hydrogen Signals.
Science and Technology
In September 2025, the Raman Research Institute (RRI), under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Ministry of Science & Technology (MoS&T), recently developed ‘PRATUSH’ (Probing ReionizAtion of the Universe using Signal from Hydrogen), a compact radiometer designed to detect the faint 21-centimeter hydrogen signal from the Cosmic Dawn, marking a significant step in studying the early universe.
- PRATUSH is a space payload and compact radiometer specifically designed to study the early universe. Its primary purpose is to detect radio signals emitted by hydrogen atoms during the Cosmic Dawn, providing insights into the formation of the first stars and galaxies. This mission aims to advance our understanding of cosmic evolution and the universe's infancy.
- The radiometer was developed by the Raman Research Institute (RRI), leveraging its extensive expertise in astrophysics and space instrumentation. PRATUSH is compact, minimizing weight, power consumption, and operational complexity, making it suitable for deployment in lunar orbit for optimal observations.
Main Point :- (i) PRATUSH employs a Single-Board Computer (SBC)-based digital receiver built on Raspberry Pi technology, along with a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) chip. This setup processes streams of cosmic radio data with high precision, allowing the detection of extremely faint signals down to just a few millikelvins (mK), demonstrating its exceptional sensitivity.
(ii) The mission is planned to operate specifically on the Moon’s far side to take advantage of a radio-quiet environment. This strategic positioning minimizes interference from Earth-based radio signals and ensures accurate measurement of the 21-cm hydrogen line, which is critical for studying the Cosmic Dawn.
(iii) Performance tests on a reference signal over 352 hours have confirmed PRATUSH’s ability to detect extremely faint cosmic signals. This development represents a major technological achievement for Indian astrophysics, offering a new tool for understanding the early universe and contributing to global research on cosmic evolution.
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