Chennai: Space agency-ISRO on Wednesday inaugurated its Space Technology Incubation Centre (S-TIC) and a Memorandum of Understanding was signed in NIT, Tiruchirappalli (NIT-T). It was unveiled remotely by Dr K. Sivan, chairman, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), secretary, Department of Space, Government of India from the ISRO Headquarters, Bengaluru in Karnataka.
This is first of its kind incubation centre in Southern Region of India, aims at developing innovative indigenous technologies that could be used for future ISRO projects which would significantly be cutting down the cost, a press release issued in Chennai said.
Dr M. Umapathy, Dean (Research & Consultancy) welcomed the gathering, followed by the keynote address by Dr Mini Shaji Thomas, director, NIT-T who addressed the dignitaries, faculty members, industry partners and student/ research scholars about the golden opportunity available for the student community across the southern region to innovate an idea and develop a commercially viable product thereby contribute to the India Space programme with the support of ISRO scientists.
The ISRO - Space Technology Incubation Centre opened at NIT-T will incubate startups to build applications and products in tandem with the industry and they would be used in future space missions," said ISRO chairman K. Sivan during his inaugural speech.
Space Technology Incubation Centre (S-TIC) is a novel concept conceived by ISRO to tie up the Academia, Industry and R&D institutions in different regions of the country. S-TIC will provide projects of importance to the ongoing and futuristic programmes of ISRO for the research, postgraduate and undergraduate students. This is expected to inculcate the much-required research culture among the student community.
The centre is expected to bring the industry, academia and ISRO triad under one umbrella to contribute towards the research and development (R&D) initiatives relevant to Indian Space Programme, which was briefly explained by Dr P.V. Venkatakrishnan, director, Capacity Building Programme Office (CBPO), ISRO- HQ.Finally, Dr Jiwan Kumar Pandit, associate director, capacity building programme office (CBPO), ISRO- HQ, thanked the NIT-T fraternity, industry partners from CII, BHEL, TIDISSIA, student/ research scholars among others for making this event a grand success.
