The Union government has announced that V Narayanan will succeed S Somanath as the chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the secretary of the Department of Space. Narayanan, currently the director of the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), will take over on January 14, 2025, for a term of two years or until further orders.
Narayanan is a distinguished scientist and an expert in rocket and spacecraft propulsion, has been with ISRO since 1984. Over his nearly 40-year career, he has played a pivotal role in various landmark projects, particularly in solid and liquid propulsion systems:
Worked on the Solid Propulsion systems of the Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle (ASLV) and Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) during ISRO’s early years.
- Contributed to the realization of ablative nozzle systems, composite motor cases, and composite igniter cases.
- Led innovations and development efforts in liquid propulsion technology, a cornerstone of ISRO’s advancements in space exploration.
- As the director of LPSC, Narayanan has overseen operations at the center’s headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram and its unit in Bengaluru. LPSC is a critical ISRO hub for developing propulsion systems used in launch vehicles and spacecraft.
Under his leadership at LPSC, Narayanan has been instrumental in the development and integration of cutting-edge propulsion technologies. He has been deeply involved in missions like Chandrayaan, Mangalyaan, and India’s human spaceflight program Gaganyaan.
Recently, ISRO made headlines for successfully testing SpaDex, an indigenous space docking technology essential for ambitious missions like Chandrayaan-4 and Gaganyaan. This achievement placed India among an elite group of countries, including the United States, Russia, and China, with advanced space docking capabilities.
As ISRO’s new chief, V Narayanan will be tasked with steering India’s space program through its next phase of innovation, exploration, and global collaboration. With major missions like Gaganyaan, Chandrayaan-4, and interplanetary exploration on the horizon, his leadership will be crucial in bolstering ISRO’s position on the world stage.
Outgoing chief S Somanath leaves behind a legacy of significant advancements, including the Chandrayaan-3 success, and Narayanan is well-positioned to build on this momentum.