Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is keen to work with the automotive sector to help them develop and manufacture automotive sensors indigenously.

Speaking at the Bengaluru Tech Summit on November 20, ISRO Chairman S. Somanath said the automotive industry in India is dependent on sensors that are manufactured abroad.

“The sensor systems for vehicles in India are all imported. Nothing is made in India though they are engineered at a sustainable low cost. Whereas in the space sector, all the sensors for our rockets are manufactured in India, and they are of higher cost, I find this a contradiction,” Mr Somanth said.

To address this, a workshop would be organised with the automotive industry and the space ecosystem next week.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the non-availability of sensors had choked the production line of automobiles. Hence, it is important to manufacture sensors at a low cost in a large volume.

“We need to have industry people come in and work with us on how we can make them (sensors) at a low cost and in a large volume. COVID-19 has shown that non-availability of sensors can choke the product line of automobiles. So, it is very important for us to invest time and money in all of this,” he said.

Gaganyaan programme

On the Gaganyaan programme, Mr. Somanath said that ISRO will carry out three un-crewed missions and one crewed mission. The first un-crewed mission is scheduled to take place in 2024-25, and the first crewed mission is scheduled in 2025-27.

“We are hoping to make a human space flight mission by 2026. The first un-crewed mission has been scheduled, and we are currently assembling the rocket. It may happen possibly by the beginning of the new year… all the rocket parts are already at the rocket complex,” Mr. Somanath said.