Into its second decade, the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) in the district plans to step up research and collaborate more closely with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
The decision was taken on the basis of recommendations submitted by a high-level panel constituted by ISRO chairman which reviewed the work done by IIST in its first decade. The report had been discussed in depth by the IIST governing council in March this year and by the board of management on June 27.
Enhanced research
Enhanced research and closer ties with ISRO aside, IIST also stands to get improved infrastructure as part of spurring it to the next level of achievement.
Established in 2008 to mould future space scientists for ISRO, IIST has undertaken 42 IIST-ISRO projects since 2016, IIST director V.K. Dadhwal said during the seventh IIST convocation held on Friday.
IIST has been collaborating with various units of ISRO including the ISRO Propulsion Complex, Space Applications Centre and ISRO Inertial Systems Unit for various upcoming missions. As part of making its curriculum more engaging, IIST also plans to introduce electives on bio-astronautics, space economics and policy and entrepreneurship and innovation from this academic year onwards.
Since its inception, IIST has contributed 949 graduates to ISRO, which include candidates from the latest batch which graduated on Friday. “IIST has been producing excellent students and they have been contributing to the ISRO programme,”S. Somanath, director, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), had said, addressing the new graduates.
According to Dr. Dadhwal, IIST is looking forward to more international collaborations. IIST had inked an MoU with the Caltech University, U.S., and the University of Surrey, U.K, for designing and developing the Autonomous Assembly of Reconfigurable Space Telescope (AAReST).
Another MoU
The institute has another MoU with the Laboratory of Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP), University of Colorado, in the area of space science and spacecraft engineering.
Discussions are under way with the National Central University, Taiwan, and Niigata University, Japan.
