After bouquets, Prez asks Isro to cut costs

Showering bouquets on the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (Isro) scientists soon after the successful launch of PSLV-C20/Saral Mission, President Pranab Mukherjee, nonetheless, had a word of financial prudence too for the

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Addressing scientists and engineers present on the occasion, Mukherjee emphasised that while “socially relevant uses of technology that meets the country’s development goals are imperative to address the demands of our population,” scientists should also “endeavour to lower the cost of access to space through greater innovation and drive towards technology refinement.”

Lauding Isro for 15 successful space missions in the last three years, Mukherjee underscored how the country eagerly looked towards the space body successfully launching its ‘Geosynchronous Space Launch Vehicle (GSLV) with indigenous cryogenic engine. “Our Chandrayaan (moon) mission has made our country proud,” he said. He hoped that the scientists with their professional commitment would also take on the “Mars Mission” challenge targeted for later this year.

Stating that Isro enjoyed “tremendous trust among our countrymen, the President in the same breath said this faith and confidence puts the onus back on the organisation to raise the bar of its performance, scale greater heights and explore newer frontiers.