SRM to establish centre for space technology

Updated on: Tuesday, October 11, 2011

SRM University, would soon set up a Centre for Space Technology at its campus on the outskirts of the city.

Announcing the launch of SRMSAT on board the PSLV-C18 from Sriharikota on October 12, SRM Group Chancellor T R Pachamuthu and President P Sathyanarayanan told reporters talks were on with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in this regard. Everything is in a planning stage. Talks in this regard will be carried forward once the launch of SRMSAT is over. It will take another five to six months to give ita concrete shape, Mr Satyanarayanan said.

Once the Centre for space is established, we will introduce specialised courses on Space technology to churn out more space scientists to meet the growing demand, Mr Pachamuthu told later. The Centre would focus more on research, he added.

About SRMSAT, he said SRM University was the first private varsity in India to launch a nano satellite. Describing it as a momentous occasion, the satellite, weighing 10.4 kg, was designed and development by about 50 students from various departments over a period of two years. The satellite would have a life span of two years and would monitor green house gases, carbon-dioxide and water vapour in the atmosphere using a grating spectrometer.

A separate Ground station has been set up in the Varsity to monitor the satellite. Initially, ISRO will monitor the satellite from its ground station at Bangalore. After a week, SRM University will also monitor it from the ground station, Dr D Narayana Rao, Director, Research, SRM University, said. He said SRM would continue to work with ISRO in future also and possibly design another satellite in two years time.

SRM to establish centre for space technology

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