Rocket scientist S Somnath replaces K Sivan as ISRO chief

Jan. 13: The Centre appointed senior rocket scientist S Somnath as the next chief of the Indian Space & Research Organisation (ISRO). He has been appointed as Secretary, Department of Space and Chairman of the Space Commission for a three-year term. He will succeed K Sivan as the next head of India’s space agency.

“His new appointment is for a combined tenure of three years from the date of joining of the post, inclusive of an extension in tenure beyond the age of superannuation in public interest,” the government order said. S Somnath has been serving as director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) since January 2018. Somnath, an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, joined ISRO in 1985 and has worked extensively on the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLG) programmes.