Longer roadmaps key to bigger space missions, says ISRO chief

S Somanat also called for greater urgency in identifying scientific goals to be achieved through space-based instruments

Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) Chairman S Somanath on Thursday urged communities engaged in scientific activities to devise “longer roadmaps” to realise the potential of space-based science experiments.

"The focus needs to be on creating an ecosystem in which space-based science activities are taken more seriously. A longer roadmap is needed because some of the complex missions cannot be conceived with a short-term vision," Somanath said. He was speaking at an event in Hosakote that marked the formal handover of Visible Line Emission Coronagraph the primary payload developed by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics for Isro’s solar mission, Aditya L1.

“We have to create thought leaders and influencers; we need to have policymakers listen to us and we need to do incremental work in different laboratories and establish collaborations so that we can ultimately build complex systems,” he said.

He also called for greater urgency in identifying scientific goals to be achieved through space-based instruments.