‘Space tourism next big challenge’

Thiruvananthapuram: The challenges that beckon the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) are in space tourism and space adventure in which composite materials play a crucial role, said Isro chairman A S Kiran Kumar. He was inaugurating the golden jubilee celebrations of the composite technology entity at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) here on Monday.
“The past five decades of composites in Isro space missions had been glorious and the future holds more challenges in space tourism, space adventures and creating space habitation.It involves lot of responsibilities which is hard to achieve,” said the chairman.
The journey of composit technology for space applications started with Vikram Sarabhai. It later flourished under the leadership of Satish Dhawan, A P J Abdul Kalam and others like Brahm Prakash and C R Sathya.
Presiding over the function, VSSC director K Sivan said, “Today, as one looks at the range of composite products for Isro's launch vehicles—PSLV, GSLV or GSLVmk-III, starting with nozzle to payload fairing—I believe that the journey towards ‘all composite launch vehicle’ is getting closer.”
It was in 1966 that the scientists at Isro envisioned using the synergy of reinforcement and matrix to develop products for space applications could withstand the environmental conditions of launching and space. Now, the activity has spread its wings to meet challenging demands of the Indian space programme, Sivan added.
All former employees of VSSC who have been part of composite technology were felicitated. As part of the event, a book with a collection of reminiscences of former employees was also released. tnn