S Somanath Biography: S. Somanath was appointed as the tenth Chairman of ISRO on January 12, 2022, by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC).
He served three years as the Chairman of ISRO. Further, his term included an extension beyond the retirement age in the public interest or until further notice, whichever happened first.
As his term as ISRO Chairman draws to a close, S. Somanath will be succeeded on January 14, 2025. After him, Dr. V. Narayanan will assume the role.
ISRO has successfully led various space missions under the chairmanship of S Somanath. One of which was the soft landing of Chandrayaan 3 on the south pole of the moon and now the maiden voyage of India towards the sun.
Here's a detailed biography of the tenth ISRO Chairman, S Somanath.
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S Somanath Biography
| Birth | July 1963 |
| Age | 58 years |
| Education | Kerala University Indian Institute of Science |
| Wife | Valsala |
| Children | Two |
| Succeeded | Dr. K. Sivan |
| Served As | Tenth ISRO Chairman |
S Somanath Biography: Birth, Age, and Education
S Somanath was born in July 1963. He hails from Alappuzha (Alleppey), Kerala. He is 58 years old.
S Somanath graduated in Mechanical Engineering from Kerala University and completed his Post Graduation in Aerospace Engineering from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc).
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S Somanath Family
S Somanath is married to Valsala and the couple has two children. Her wife works with the Goods and Services Tax (GST) department under the aegis of the Ministry of Finance. Both the children have completed their Post Graduation in Engineering. Despite being a Hindi teacher, Somanath's father encouraged his son's passion for science and fed him with science books in both English and Malayalam languages.
S Somanath Career
S Somanath joined ISRO in 1985 and has since then served in many positions at LPSC and VSSC including Project Manager-Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), Deputy Director for Structures Entity/Propulsion & Space Ordnance Entity, and Project Director, Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV Mk-III).
He was associated with the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) project during its initial phase and was the Deputy Director of Propulsion and Space Ordinance Entity till November 2014.
In June 2015, he served as the Director of the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) which is responsible for the design and realization of liquid propulsion systems for launch vehicle and spacecraft programs.
S Somanath was previously associated with the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) as its Director. VSSC is the lead centre of ISRO responsible for the design and realization of launch vehicles.
S. Somanath's Role As ISRO Chairman
As part of his role as the ISRO Chairman, S Somanath will focus on technology, policy, implementation and areas where stakeholders need to be taken care of. He will also work to expand the ecosystem of space into industries.
S Somnath took over as the Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on January 14, 2022. He served as the 10th Chairman of ISRO and the first from Kerala.
Somanath is an aerospace engineer with over 35 years of experience in the space sector. He has held several key positions at ISRO, including Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) and Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC). He is also a recipient of the prestigious "Space Gold Medal" from the Astronautical Society of India.
Somanath is a highly qualified and experienced engineer with a proven track record of success. He is well-respected in the space community and is known for his dedication to his work.
In his new role as Chairman of ISRO, Somanath is tasked with leading the organization in its next phase of growth. He has said that he plans to focus on developing new technologies, expanding ISRO's reach into new areas, and strengthening its international partnerships.
He has worked in the development of the Chandrayaan-3 and announced the launch of India's moon mission which was scheduled for July 13 to July 19 2023. The spacecraft took off on 14th July 2023 and LVM3 M4 vehicle propelled Chandrayaan-3 into its assigned orbit.
On August 5 Chandrayaan-3 reached the lunar orbit and the mission became successful on August 23, 2023, at 6:04 P.M.
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S Somanath's Area of Expertise
Somanath is an expert in launch vehicle structural systems, structural dynamics, mechanisms, pyro systems and launch vehicle integration. His pioneering contributions to mechanical integration designs resulted in making PSLV a highly sought-after launcher for microsatellites from across the world. He has also provided the technical leadership for designing the GSLV MkIII.
S Somanath Awards and Honours
1- Space Gold Medal from the Astronautical Society of India (ASI)
2- Performance Excellence Award-2014 and Team Excellence Award-2014 for GSLV Mk-III realization from ISRO
3- Fellow of Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE)
4- Corresponding Member of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA).
Also Read | List of ISRO Chairman
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