ISRO Chairman Launches Research Centre at IIT Madras to Propel ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ in Space Tech

ISRO Chairman Dr. V. Narayanan inaugurated a Research Centre at IIT Madras to support ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiatives, fostering self-reliance in advanced space technologies while attracting global talent and research funding.

ISRO Chairman Launches Research Centre at IIT Madras

Dr. V. Narayanan, Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), inaugurated the Shri S. Ramakrishnan Centre of Excellence in Fluid and Thermal Science Research at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras on March 17, 2025. This state-of-the-art facility, housed in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, will drive ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiatives by advancing self-reliance in cutting-edge space technologies while attracting global talent and research funding. With a focus on thermal management for spacecraft and launch vehicles, the centre aims to position India as a global leader in thermal sciences research for space applications.

Shri S. Ramakrishnan Centre of Excellence in Fluid and Thermal Science Research

The centre will serve as a hub for pioneering research in heat transfer, cooling systems, and fluid dynamics, all crucial for the next generation of spacecraft and satellite technologies. Scientists and engineers from ISRO will collaborate closely with faculty and researchers from IIT Madras to tackle complex thermal challenges in space applications. Research conducted at this Centre of Excellence (CoE) will directly contribute to upcoming lunar, Mars, and deep-space missions, reinforcing India’s position at the forefront of space technology.

Important Roles of the Centre:

• Spacecraft and Launch Vehicle Thermal Management: Tackling heat dissipation challenges in satellites and launch vehicles to enhance performance and reliability.
• Advanced Cooling System Research: Developing innovative cooling solutions, including micro heat pipes, spray cooling, vapor chambers, and two-phase heat transfer devices.
• High-Fidelity Simulation & Testing: Leveraging cutting-edge computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations and experimental setups for real-world validation.
• Capacity Building & Training: Facilitating advanced research opportunities for ISRO scientists at IIT Madras while strengthening industry-academia collaborations.

Dr. V. Narayanan, Chairman of ISRO, inaugurated the lab in the presence of Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras, Dr. S. Somanath, Dr. Vikram Sarabhai Professor, ISRO, Prof. Arvind Pattamatta, Centre Coordinator, Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras, Prof. P. Chandramouli, Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras, Dr. P.V. Venkitakrishnan, Professor of Practice, Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras, along with the faculty, researchers, and students.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. V. Narayanan, Chairman, ISRO, said, “The Cryogenic Engine technology was denied to India but today, we have three different such engines with the third one being human-rated. Only six countries in the world have this technology. We have made three world records in this technology - We got it right in our third attempt. Second, From the engine test to flight, we got it done in 28 months. Other countries took between 42 Months and 18 Years. and finally, we conducted the test in 34 Days which no other country had done as they took around 5 to 6 months.”

Recalling his association with S Ramakrishnan, Dr. V. Narayanan said, “Shri S Ramakrishna was not just a technocrat but was a great Manager.” Looking forward to the collaboration, Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, said, “More and more we explore the space, we have an increasing need for technologies that could handle thermal and cooling requirements. I am sure the proposed Centre jointly with ISRO shall develop very effective solutions for the same.”

Highlighting the expected outcomes from this new research centre, its coordinator Prof. Arvind Pattamatta, Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras, said, “In the Medium Term (Next 3-5 Years), we are hoping to achieve breakthroughs in Advanced Thermal Management such as development of new active and passive cooling techniques for spacecraft electronics and prototyping and Testing of Next-Gen Heat Pipes, which are Innovative cooling systems for long-duration space missions.”

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