Credit-card sized Indian computer to listen for whispers from the early universe

PRATUSH is a proposed space payload that aims to orbit the Moon’s far side—an untouched, interference-free zone ideal for capturing ancient cosmic radio signals.

The PRATUSH mission is built to pick up faint radio signals from hydrogen atoms, helping unlock mysteries of the universe’s earliest epoch.

The concept involves placing the payload on the Moon’s far side, considered the quietest radio environment in the inner Solar System—shielded from Earth’s constant radio chatter and ionospheric disturbances.

Using a sensitive radiometer, PRATUSH will attempt to capture the elusive 21-cm wavelength signal emitted by hydrogen atoms—essentially allowing scientists to “listen” to the Cosmic Dawn, a period otherwise masked by strong terrestrial interference.

At the mission’s core lies a single-board computer (SBC), modeled on Raspberry Pi technology. Despite its compact, credit-card size, it functions as the central controller—handling the radiometer’s antenna, analog receiver, and data-processing FPGA chip. This tiny system takes charge of data acquisition, synchronization, calibration, and operations while meeting the strict size, weight, and power requirements critical for space exploration.

Tests show the digital receiver, powered by this lightweight SBC, achieves extraordinary sensitivity—reducing receiver noise to just millikelvins after hundreds of hours of observation. This precision makes it possible to detect the extremely faint signals from the dawn of the cosmos.

With planned upgrades and space-grade hardware, the system is expected to deliver even higher accuracy and reliability.

By combining low power use with robust performance, PRATUSH demonstrates how small computers can simplify and strengthen complex space missions, bringing ambitious lunar orbits within reach.

If successful, the mission could reveal how the first stars shaped the universe—and even hint at new physics beyond current understanding.

In short, a tiny Indian computer is preparing to take on a monumental role: capturing the quiet birth cries of the universe from the stillness of lunar orbit.