Dr. V. Narayanan Appointed as New ISRO Chief
Dr. V. Narayanan has been selected as the new head of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). He will assume the responsibilities of ISRO chief on January 14, succeeding S. Somnath. This was announced in a notification issued on Tuesday, January 7.
Dr. V. Narayanan's Career
Currently serving as the Director of ISRO's Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), Dr. Narayanan boasts a 40-year career filled with significant roles within ISRO. His expertise lies in rocket and spacecraft propulsion.
Significant Contributions to GSLV Mk III and Other Missions
Dr. Narayanan held the position of Project Director for the C25 cryogenic project of the GSLV Mk III vehicle. Under his leadership, the team successfully developed the C25 stage of the GSLV Mk III. Furthermore, he oversaw the delivery of 183 liquid propulsion systems and control power plants for various ISRO missions. He also played a crucial role in the construction of the second and fourth stages of the PSLV, and contributed to the propulsion systems for the Aditya spacecraft, Chandrayaan-2, Chandrayaan-3, and GSLV Mk-III.
Dr. Narayanan's Honours and Awards
Dr. V. Narayanan has been recognised for his outstanding contributions, receiving several awards. These include a silver medal from IIT Kharagpur, a gold medal from the Astronautical Society of India, and a National Design Award from the NDRF.
S. Somnath's Tenure Concludes
S. Somnath assumed the role of ISRO chief in January 2022, and his term is set to conclude this month. Under his leadership, ISRO successfully completed several landmark missions. He has also served as Director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) and as a senior scientist at ISRO.
