CHENNAI: Setting sights again on the Moon after Chandrayaan-3, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman S Somnath on Friday informed that the ISRO is working on the New Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV), named SOORYA project to take humans to the Moon.
Talking to reporters after receiving a PhD degree from V Kamakoti, Director of IIT-Madras at the 61st convocation here, ISRO chairman S Somnath said, “I am happy to receive this doctorate degree from the prestigious IIT-M. In 2006, while working on PSLV, I enrolled for PhD in IIT-M related to “Vibration response studies on modified hyper elastic material models for application aerospace systems” and when I was involved in the GSLV work, I couldn’t take forward my PhD. It is a good fortune that I could complete it after having assumed the office of Chairman of ISRO. It is a great honour.”
Further, Somnath informed that the ISRO scientists are working on the NGLV, named “SOORYA”, in line with India’s Space Vision 2047, which envisages challenging missions in near Earth orbit and beyond, including a space station by 2035. “The NGLV is built to take humans to the Moon. It will be India’s mega rocket, which will send India’s gaganyatri to the lunar surface, hopefully by 2040,” he noted.
“We have finalised the Space Station design and we are awaiting approval. The design for Chandrayaan’s next phase of action is complete and will be sent for approval. The first phase of the private rocket has been completed and the next full launch will be carried out by the end of this year,” he added.