Dr. K Sivan is the chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and he is known as "Rocket Man" for his significant contribution in the development of cryogenic engines for India's space programme. He is also the Secretary to the Department of Space. He has spearheaded India’s various missions to space. In an exclusive interview with Manish Kumar Jha of BW Defence, ISRO chairman Dr. K Sivan Kumar spells out the many exciting technology and challenges that his team of scientists are working on in the field of space research. He also talks about the ‘famed ISRO Model’ and future of India’s space missions.

Photo Credit : BE defence,

ISRO’s achievement in the space technology has put India on the forefront among the best in the world.  ISRO seems to be getting everything right and worth emulating by others. What keeps ISRO model so unique in India? 

 In ISRO, there is one special thing, which can only be experienced when one joins ISRO. It’s the passion. Each and every person has the passion of working. They're taking whatever they are doing as their personal work. When passion and attachment are put in together, automatically, the product will be good. The passion is not only by talking, but mainly because of the way the ISRO culture is and that is making it work as a democratic system. Each and every person is allowed to express his or her views. 

We encourage the culture of open conversation within the organization from junior to the senior-most person. They are free to express their views unhindered. And, the suggestion is evaluated with due respect. After due deliberation, If it is worth, it will be taken into consideration. This type of culture and guidelines were imparted by Vikram Sarabhai.  The way he laid the foundation of this kind of culture, we continue with that. It certainly makes people so passionate about their work. Another reason is that whatever work we're doing, we'll see the result immediately. Suppose we're doing something, then the result will be seen in another 15 days or a month. 

So, people acquire the tendency to have more eagerness to see the result and our results will also come immediately. It's the result oriented approach that always looks for concrete outcome. That also adds more anxiety to the people. 

Third one is about the vision for serving the country. So that vision becomes a noble vision. Hence, every Indian will have that feeling of accountability. My vision is aligned to the fact that I should contribute for the nation. That is the thing. So these three combinations only make it, in my opinion, ISRO a different thing.

This year, ISRO has put into space a new satellite under the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), adding to the existing cluster of six fully operational satellites. How soon are we getting our GPS (Global Positioning System)? Will it be possible to integrate with the existing mobile platform in India?
 
 

Whatever the IRNS Satellite we're putting, the navigation conciliation is complete. So the instrument or the application started rolling out one by one. The purpose of IRNS is not only putting GPS in the mobile, not only the positioning but it has a lot of other applications. Even it will be used for coal pilferage. 

We may wonder how the navigation is used for coal pilferage. The navigation receiver is attached to the train and the train is not supposed to stop at any station. Specified time and number of stops are given. If the train stops for more than a particular time, then something happening at the moment, and the locational stopping of the train does not belong to any station. So, the unauthorized way of stopping the train in an unauthorized location can be detected through this navigation. That is a clear indication- if the train has stopped, the intention is wrong. Now we can record a video there and we can easily capture it. So it is used in an innovative way and like that many such applications are there for navigation which we are rolling out one by one. 

Also, we wanted to give the navigation receiver to all the educational institutions so that the students can work on them across India. They can bring any idea. There is no limit on giving the applications based on the portion based system. But new applications can come only depending on the thinking. 

Then the question is about putting the navigation receiver inside the mobile?  This activity is also there for that mobile manufacturer but they haveto first agree to integrate. Mobile manufacturing is not done by us. It is the private companies and they should be willing to do it. Along, there should be a system or a way available to put it inside. All these activities are going on. We're looking for many other applications like for tracking the fisherman. Like that, thousands of applications are there that are one by one rolling out.

There is always a great deal of anticipation that ISRO will collaborate with and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). ISRO’s capability can add tremendous value to the defence sector. What do you think about this?  Is there any such move being planned? 

No. Right now, we don't have any formal collaborations with the defence research & Development Organization (DRDO). And if there's any technology that they are developing, and if it is useful for us, we'll ask like materials- the high temperature materials. And also whatever the job they are doing, they are doing on their own, we are doing on our own.

Look, when we are stuck and if any review is required in their system, our people consult and vice versa. People work in the same way. Otherwise, there is no formal collaboration between ISRO and DRDO. And as a system, ISRO is totally civil.

 ISRO is mulling the idea of expanding its domain expertise to the private industries. How are you bringing the private industry to build satellites? Do the existing private industries have the capacity to work along with ISRO?  

Before building the satellite, there are a lot of work being done by private industries for launch vehicle. In fact, in the launch vehicle, this particular industry participation is not new. From the beginning of ISRO, they always bring the Academia, industry and ISRO. It's a triangle.

 ISRO will get support from Academia and same will get support from industry. Academia will support in the intellectual thinking process and industry will support in making the product. So 85% of the cost of launch vehicle is still lying in the industry. They supply the whole thing. So the industry participation in this is not new. It is a part of our system. 

Another one is that not only making the things, even for integration, system engineering, and industry is helping. Now slowly, from there they're working like vendors, they supply the hardware for doing our work. They’re working like labors. What we're telling them as instead of working as a vendor, you please function as a partner and take more responsibility. Instead of giving the components and devices, that is about 80% of the cost of the company, you please integrate and you deliver as a system, not as a component. When you deliver as a system, you become a partner. So like that we're in the process of making some advancement. I'm sure this process will continue so that slowly the entire market will come to us. Market our satellite- that is our aim. 

ISRO has also undertaking training programme to train manpower from various countries. Which are the nations interested in this initiative of government of India? 

We're yet to receive the applications for that. I think you are referring one uni-50 space, the capacity building announcement. Mainly, we're looking for the countries which don't have the expertise, so at least we can train them. So it will be useful when that nation’s satellite programme will be initiated. Under the programm there is a screening mechanism, we’ll select the right people. 

Could you please tell us about some of the future projects of ISRO that further set the benchmark in our space program?
 
 

The first and foremost is the purpose or our vision. Our space programme is mainly for the common people. What are the places and services where they can put it? As the human civilization exists, demand will also exist. Now that we're giving some service, they will now expect the service to be available in faster, cheaper and with better performance, this is human nature. We take our honourable Prime Minister's digital India program as an example. It is mainly to give the connectivity to rural India. Also the high banded connectivity specially.  It is an advance thinking of our government. Now we have to get prepared for that. Satellite and things are required. We have to give the inflight connectivity in that - next advancement. Another one is the navigation system, for that we should have to give services to people. Then comes remote sensing applications for the entire range of remote sensing, we require additional advance satellite. Then all the cartographers said that we want to make high resolution cartographies. So like advancement in this system and the future demanded, we should make it. 

 At the same time, we cannot keep ourselves away from the world. There is globally a space exploration space sciences and for that also we have new satellite like Aditya L1. Now to launch all this, we need launch vehicle. And for that launch vehicle, we increased the launch vehicle capability. We had left with 4 ton, we've increased it to 6 ton now. For that additional technology development, we are working on the semi cryogenic engine. That is another launch vehicle. We are now in the process of what we have to do next- reuse the launch vehicle for demonstration. Plus, we're bringing our air breathing proportion system for that. We have our development and future programmes for the satellite and launch vehicle.

What is next for the new generation launch vehicle that ISRO is working on?  

Recently Government of India (GOI) approved 30 operational flights of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), and 10 Geo Synchronous Satellite Launch vehicle (GSLVMk-III). That really gave a big boost to Indian space programme and the industry too. Now we can order for 40 vehicle for 4 years. So industry has a very clear business for 4 years. That way, they put more manpower, invest more. 

Also, 10,400 crores that we have got from the government for this 40 vehicle, nearly 85%-90% will be only go into industry. So nearly 9000 crore will only be in industry. So that much extra money pumping into industry and they're making more manpower, so industry growth will be there. That way, it is double beneficial for the government. Our satellites are going to increase and the launch vehicle, we're going larger than earlier. So that our space programme will get benefitted. And at the same time, industry also get benefitted, and a lot of employees get benefitted. And there's really good employment in this. We’ll see and keep working.