Department of Space

The Department of Space (DoS) is an Indian government department responsible for administration of the Indian space programme. It manages several agencies and institutes related to space exploration and space technologies. The Indian space programme under the DoS aims to promote the development and application of space science and technology for the socio-economic benefit of the country. It includes two major satellite systems, INSAT for communication, television broadcasting and meteorological services, and Indian Remote Sensing Satellites (IRS) system for resources monitoring and management. It has also developed two satellite launch vehicles Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) to place IRS and INSAT class satellites in orbit.

History
In 1961, the Government of India and then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru entrusted the responsibility for space research and for the peaceful use of outer space to the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), then under the leadership of Homi J. Bhabha.  In 1962, the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) set up Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR), with Vikram Sarabhai as chairman, to organise a national space programme.

In 1969, INCOSPAR was reconstituted as an advisory body under the India National Science Academy (INSA) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) was established. The Government of India constituted the Space Commission and established the Department of Space (DoS) in 1972 and brought ISRO under DoS management on 1 June 1972.

On 15 January  S. Somanath succeeded Kailasavadivoo Sivan as the Secretary (Space) and ex-officio chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation and Space Commission. Vanditha Sharma is the additional secretary of the department.

Agencies and institutes

The Department of Space manages the following agencies and institutes:

 Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) – The primary research and development arm of the DoS
 Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram
 Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), Thiruvananthapuram
 Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-SHAR), Sriharikota
 U R Rao Satellite Centre (URSC), Bengaluru
 Space Applications Centre (SAC), Ahmedabad
 National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Hyderabad
 ISRO Inertial Systems Unit (IISU), Thiruvananthapuram
 Development and Educational Communication Unit (DECU), Ahmedabad
 Master Control Facility (MCF), Hassan
 ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC), Bengaluru
 Laboratory for Electro-Optics Systems (LEOS), Bengaluru
 Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS), Dehradun
 Antrix Corporation – The marketing arm of ISRO
 Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad
 National Atmospheric Research Laboratory (NARL), Gadanki
 North-Eastern Space Applications Centre (NE-SAC), Umiam
 Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), Thiruvananthapuram – India's space university
 NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), Bengaluru
 Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN–SPACe)

Historical list of annual budget of department of space

See also

 Swami Vivekananda Planetarium, Mangalore

References

External links
 

Ministry of Science and Technology (India)
Space programme of India
1972 establishments in Delhi
Government agencies established in 1972