ISRO chairman K Sivan charts out space research body''s 2019 roadmap

Ravi S Singh
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, January 18

ISRO Chairman K Sivan on Friday outlined the space research body’s 2019 goals, which include the launch of 32 planned missions, and thrust on research and development initiatives spread over the entire country with the singular focus on student community and the youth.

These will be besides the spade work for the unmanned space Mission Gaganyaan set for 2021 by ISRO.

The proposed planned missions comprise 14 Launch Vehicles and 18 Satellites, including Chandrayaan-2.

To give a fillip to research and development in space programmes, especially focusing on student community and youth, six incubation centres and an equal number of research centres will be instituted across the country.

Each of the incubation and research centres will be set up in states located in the north, south, east, west, north-east and central India.

“Our plan is to expand the activities of ISRO pan-India...to inculcate scientific temperament among the youth,” Sivan said.

There will be a progamme for reuse of the PSLV-4 after it is reduced to debris following completion of its operation. It will be developed as a station for research facilities for students. It will be recharged and activated. It will be upgraded in three-phase progression, ascending in scale and sophistication along the way.

ISRO has planned for spreading knowledge exclusively related to space science and technology. To this effect it will launch its own TV satellite.

A schedule has been drawn for launch of small satellite vehicle, GSAT-20, RISAT and GISAT series of satellites.

Besides, there will be centenary celebrations of noted scientist Vikram A Sarabhai which will commence on August 13 this year. A host of national and international events have been lined up in this regard.

In an outreach to the student communty, ISRO will roll out the Young Scientist Programme. Under it, three students from each state and union territory will be selected to give them exposure at all its laboratories and centres in the country. The programme would entirely be funded by ISRO, Sivan said.