Jammu gets its first-ever space centre, country’s second space training institute to push space innovation – Tech Observer

The territory much talked about due to terrorism will soon be known for scaling new technology heights as the Centre opens its first-ever space centre in Jammu.

According to the Union minister of state (IC) science & technology; earth sciences; atomic energy and space, Dr. Jitendra Singh, this was a historic moment as most of the space technology institutes were in the past confined to southern states and the only of its kind Indian Institute of Space and Technology imparting engineering, aeronautics and other streams was located in Thiruvananthapuram.

The new space centre is India’s second space training institute in Jammu & Kashmir. The centre named Satish Dhawan Centre “is a befitting tribute to one of the founding fathers of Indias’ space programme who hails from Jammu & Kashmir but ironically not a single institute in J&K was named after him,” Singh said.

Singh said that the future of the world will hugely depend on the upcoming space economy, space collaboration and space diplomacy. While referring to the space economy, Singh mentioned that India is already receiving revenue worth millions of European Euros and US Dollars through the launching of foreign satellites.

Referring to space collaboration, he cited the example of the SAARC satellite which was visualised and developed on the instructions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which caters to the needs of most of the neighbouring countries including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, etc.

Singh said the credit entirely goes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for unlocking space technology and opening it to private players. He also stressed that India is entering into an era when it is going to play a pivotal role in space technology with India already having taken a lead in the world as far as space technology is concerned.

He also said that the next 25 years from here would be crucial for the country as said by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Dr. Singh maintained that the ascent of India as a frontline nation of the world has already started through the medium of space.

Dr. Singh stressed that today is a historical day for entire North India with the inauguration of Satish Dhawan Centre for Space Sciences at the Central University of Jammu and a conference on ‘Frontiers of Space Technology and Applications for Humanity’ in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), Thiruvananthapuram.

The minister said that most of the space technology from the last 70 years has been confined to south India mostly to the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala which was an anomaly in the spread of space technology in the country.

“The space technology in India is advanced to the stage that the premier space institutes like NASA requests for the footage of many space adventures brought about by ISRO,” Singh said, adding that the space technology has been given prime importance by this government and the results are before us with the discovery of water by Chandrayaan not being done even by premier space technology nations showing that India has already taken a lead.

According to Singh, about 60 students will be taken in the course of B. Tech in Aviation and Aeronautics through this institute through JEE in order to build this institute into one of the premier institutes in the country.

He also said that the students after studying Aviation and Aeronautics from here would be able to find a career in space technology not only in India but in space institutes like NASA as space technology has huge career opportunities available.

Former chairman, ISRO, Dr. K. Radhakrishnan in his address said that when India has become a role model for the rest of the world in terms of space technology, Satish Dhawan is a reverential role model for the students. Dr. Radhakrishnan wished that this would be the prestigious institution in years to come all over the country like the other premier space institutes.

Chairman ISRO Somnath S. said that space technology now is an integral part of life and the safety and security of this nation will depend on how strong the nation is going to be in the space sector. The chairman further said that the communication revolution which is important in many ways like in the growth of industries, space has to be behind it.