ISRO to set up 12 incubation, research centres to promote space R&D

To expand the ambit of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and give a platform to youth in space research, the country’s elite space agency is in the process of setting up six incubation centres and the same number of research centres across the country over the next one year.

ISRO chairman K Sivan said, “Isro will set up six space technology incubation centres to expand the horizon of our organisation. Last month, an incubation centre was opened in Agartala by Tripura chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb. The remaining centres will be established in Jalandhar, Bhubaneswar, Nagpur, Indore and Tiruchirapalli.”

“These incubation centres will promote start-ups and give thrust to innovations and research in space technologies.
They will be opened wherever there is  of academia and industrialists. The centres will help start-ups develop prototypes of components in space systems in partnership with the industry. Isro will evaluate these prototypes and buy them depending upon their worthiness.”
On the financial cost, Sivan said, “Isro will provide the seed money to these startups. It will also bear the cost of infrastructure and provide initial funds to startups for space equipment.” Each centre is likely to cost Rs 2 crore to establish.