Hyderabad: The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) is partnering with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to create a Centre of Excellence focused on Fluid and Thermal Sciences. ISRO will provide Rs 1.84 crore in seed funding to support the establishment of this centre.
This Centre will serve as a key research hub for ISRO, concentrating on thermal management for spacecraft and launch vehicles. IIT Madras faculty will assist with design, analysis, and testing of thermal components, drawing on their expertise.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for this collaboration was signed on November 11, 2024, at IIT Madras by Prof. Manu Santhanam, Dean of Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research, IIT Madras, and Mr Victor Joseph T, Director of Technology Development & Innovation at ISRO. Professor Arvind Pattamatta from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras, and other representatives from both institutions attended the signing.
Key Outcomes of the Collaboration
- Thermal Management Research Hub: The Centre will focus on solving thermal challenges related to spacecraft and launch vehicles.
- Funding: ISRO will initially provide Rs. 1.84 crore for infrastructure, equipment, and future research needs.
- Advanced Research Projects: The Centre will address critical areas such as spacecraft thermal management, combustion instability in hybrid rockets, and cryogenic tank thermodynamics.
- Industry-Academia Collaboration: The Centre will foster greater collaboration between ISRO scientists and IIT Madras faculty, promoting innovation in fluid and thermal sciences.
Professor Arvind Pattamatta, Project Coordinator for the Centre, stated, "This Centre will facilitate a unique collaboration between ISRO and IIT Madras, enabling joint research in thermal science to support India’s space program and enhance the country's self-reliance in space technology."
IIT Madras and ISRO had previously established the ‘ISRO-IIT M Space Technology Cell’ in 1985 to promote research for a self-sufficient space program. The new Centre of Excellence will build on this foundation, focusing on thermal management research and other critical areas to support ISRO's objectives.
