Isro to eye asteroids, far away planets

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle on the sidelines of the 24th convocation at Sathyabama University on Monday, Isro chairman Dr A.S. Kiran Kumar said they would be looking at future missions such as sample return mission, asteroid mission and lander mission. “All this will be determined by the advisory committee on science chaired by Prof U.R. Rao. They will go through the discussions and decide what kind of plans we should have in future and set our priorities,” he said.

Earlier responding to questions, the space commission chairman said that the organisation would launch disaster monitoring constellation satellite for Surrey space technology soon.

He also said in June Mars mission would witness a major event with earth, mars and sun aligning on the same line during which communication to the satellite would get cut for about 14 to 15 days. This will make the satellite handle the situation with its autonomous capability.

The space organisation will also conduct a 635 second test in its indigenous cryogenic engine and launch it with GSLV mark 3 by next December. He added that they would launch Sathyabama University’s nano satellite in the first half of 2016 along with cartosatellite series.

Responding to another question, Dr Kiran Kumar said that Isro works closely with academic institutions to develop several softwares and technologies like drone.

Delivering his address, Sathyabama university founder-chancellor Dr Jeppiaar said that the institution would start a free IAS coaching academy for their students to turn them into bureaucrats. “We will train students in civil service exams from their second year of study,” he said. Ninety-Eight research scholars received doctorates and 2,655 received their degrees during the convocation.