Need to invest in test facilities in India, says ISRO chairperson

ISRO chairperson emphasizes investment in aerodynamics test facilities in India for aerospace vehicle design and development.

S. Somanath, chairperson, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), has underscored the need for investing in state-of-the-art test facilities in India in the area of aerodynamics.

Mr. Somanath was inaugurating SAROD-2024, a symposium on applied aerodynamics and design of aerospace vehicles hosted by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre ((VSSC) here on Thursday.

He went on to add that industry-level test facilities called for huge investment.

While ISRO has achieved a certain level of test capability over the years, the tests for the Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme revealed that internal facilities could accommodate “hardly 30%” of the test requirements. “Much of the test requirements could not be met even with the national-level facilities. So we had to go outside the country and seek the help of testing agencies to generate the data,” Mr. Somanath said.

Enrichment of skill and knowledge is vital for working on aerodynamic vehicles, the ISRO chairperson said.

He also stressed the importance of continued collaboration among national-level institutions such as ISRO, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) laboratories and academia in building “newer capabilities.”

VSSC director S. Unnikrishnan Nair presided. The event was organised under the aegis of the Trust for Advancement of Aerodynamics in India, Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre, ISRO Propulsion Complex and the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology.