New space technology centres at NIT Nagpur, Bhopal, Rourkela

BENGALURU : Three Space Technology Incubation Centres (S-TIC) were inaugurated at National Institute of Technology (NIT) at Nagpur, Bhopal and Rourkela by the Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) K Sivan.

ISRO signed bilateral Memorandum of Understanding with Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur (for Western region), Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology, Bhopal (for Central region), and National Institute of Technology, Rourkela (for Eastern region).

In an online programme on this occasion on Thursday, Sivan, also Secretary in the Department of Space (DoS), encouraged the students to explore their entrepreneurship skills in the space domain.

The S-TIC concept is conceived with one selected major academic institute taking the lead role in a particular region and providing opportunities for final year graduate, post graduate and research scholars as "future budding entrepreneurs," Sivan was quoted as saying in an ISRO statement.

Projects of practical relevance linked to the ongoing or future missions of ISRO will be made available to the students atSTIC, and their research outcome will be translated into a Proof-of-Concept or prototype through industries within their region, the Bengaluru-headquartered ISRO said.

ISRO Scientific Secretary R Umamaheswaran underlined the need for inter-disciplinary approach and close team work among various disciplines of Science and Technology for accomplishing the objectives of S-TIC.

With the setting up of three new S-TICs, the goal of opening one such centre in each six region of the country has been accomplished by ISRO. S-TICs have already been functioning, at National Institute of Technology, Agartala (for North-Eastern region), Dr.B R Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar (for Northern region) and National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli (for Southern region). Sivan also released'YUKTI-Sanchita 2021' (Youth Upgradation byKnowledgeTransformation through Incubators - Sanchita),a compilation of 108 product development / innovative project proposals from centres/ labs/units of DoS/ISRO.

"It can be referred by the Academia, Industry and Start-ups to prepare a detailed proposal for execution of the projects. This is one of the major steps by DOS / ISRO to achieve the development and indigenisation of space grade components / products / processes in tandem with objectives of 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat'", ISRO said.

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