The U R Rao Satellite Centre (URSC), formerly ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC) ( hi, इसरो उपग्रह केंद्र) is an
Indian Space Research Organisation centre for the design, development, and construction of Indian satellites. It was established in 1972 as Indian Scientific Satellite Project (ISSP) in Peenya Industrial Estates of
Bengaluru.
ISAC was renamed as U. R. Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) after the former
ISRO
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO; ) is the national space agency of India, headquartered in Bengaluru. It operates under the Department of Space (DOS) which is directly overseen by the Prime Minister of India, while the Chairman ...
Chairman and ISAC founding director Dr.
Udupi Ramachandra Rao with effect from 2 April 2018. URSC is situated in Vimanapura Post.
The centre launched its 100th satellite on January 12, 2018,
encompassing the
INSAT
The Indian National Satellite System or INSAT, is a series of multipurpose geostationary satellites launched by ISRO to satisfy the telecommunications, broadcasting, meteorology, and search and rescue operations. Commissioned in 1983, INSAT i ...
series, the
IRS
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the revenue service for the United States federal government, which is responsible for collecting U.S. federal taxes and administering the Internal Revenue Code, the main body of the federal statutory tax ...
series, and
GSAT
The GSAT (Geosynchronous Satellite) satellites are India's indigenously developed communications satellites, used for digital audio, data and video broadcasting. As of 5 December 2018, 20 GSAT satellites of ISRO have been launched out of which 14 ...
communication satellites.
Organisations under URSC include the
Laboratory for Electro-Optics Systems
Laboratory for Electro-Optics Systems is a research lab belonging to Indian Space Research Organisation. It involves in design and development of optics and sensor modules that can be deployed either onboard satellite or with the launch vehicle.
...
(LEOS) and the
.
Organisation
Like other ISRO centres, URSC is organised using
matrix management
Matrix management is an organizational structure in which some individuals report to more than one supervisor or leader–relationships described as solid line or dotted line reporting. More broadly, it may also describe the management of cross- ...
. The centre is divided into Functional Areas such as Control and Mission Area, Electronic Systems Area, Mechanical Systems Area, and Reliability and Components Area.
Each area is divided into groups. For instance, Control and Mission area has many groups like Control Systems Group, and Flight Dynamics Group. Groups are divided into divisions. For example, Control Systems Group has divisions such as Control Electronics Division, Control Dynamics and Analysis Division.
Project Planning and Evaluation Group, Computer and Information Group, Space Astronomy and Instrumentation Division are independent. Facilities groups like Thermovac facility and projects such as IRS, INSAT, SATNAV operate separately.
Directors
M. Sankaran is the current director.
*Prof
Udupi Ramachandra Rao (1976-1984) was the founding director. He was a
Padma Bhushan
The Padma Bhushan is the third-highest civilian award in the Republic of India, preceded by the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan and followed by the Padma Shri. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is given for "distinguished service ...
recipient who later became the
Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation
The Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation is the statutory head of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The officeholder is a secretary to the government of India and an executive of the Department of Space (DOS) which ...
and held the post of Chancellor at
Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology
Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) is a government-aided institute and deemed university for the study and research of space science, located at Valiamala, Nedumangad,
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. It is the first universit ...
,
Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram (; ), also known by its former name Trivandrum (), is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala. It is the most populous city in Kerala with a population of 957,730 as of 2011. The encompassing urban agglomeration populati ...
until his last days.
*
Col N Pant (1984-1990), a
Padma Shri
Padma Shri ( IAST: ''padma śrī''), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is conf ...
recipient
* Dr
K Kasturirangan
Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan (born 24 October 1940) is an Indian space scientist who headed the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) from 1994 to 2003. He is presently Chancellor of Central University of Rajasthan and NIIT University. He ...
(1990-1994), a recipient of the three major civilian awards from the
Government of India
The Government of India (ISO: ; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, is the national government of the Republic of India, a federal democracy located in South Asia, ...
: the
Padma Shri
Padma Shri ( IAST: ''padma śrī''), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is conf ...
(1982),
Padma Bhushan
The Padma Bhushan is the third-highest civilian award in the Republic of India, preceded by the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan and followed by the Padma Shri. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is given for "distinguished service ...
(1992) and
Padma Vibhushan
The Padma Vibhushan ("Lotus Decoration") is the second-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is given for "exceptional and distinguished service" ...
(2000).
He later became the
Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation
The Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation is the statutory head of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The officeholder is a secretary to the government of India and an executive of the Department of Space (DOS) which ...
* Shri R Aravamudan (1994-1997)
* Dr
P S Goel (1997-2005), a
Padma Shri
Padma Shri ( IAST: ''padma śrī''), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is conf ...
recipient
* Dr
K. N. Shankara, (2005-2008), a
Padma Shri
Padma Shri ( IAST: ''padma śrī''), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is conf ...
recipient
* Dr
T K Alex (2008-2012),
a
Padma Shri
Padma Shri ( IAST: ''padma śrī''), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is conf ...
recipient
* Dr
S. K. Shivkumar
S. K. Shivakumar (1953 – 13 April 2019) was an Indian scientist from Karnataka state who worked at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) centres. He was awarded the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award of India, in 2015.
Ea ...
(2012-2015),
a
Padma Shri
Padma Shri ( IAST: ''padma śrī''), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is conf ...
recipient
* Dr
Mylswamy Annadurai
Mylswamy Annadurai, popularly known as Moon Man of India , is an Indian scientist working as vice president for Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology (TNSCST), Chairman, Board of Governors, National Design and Research Forum(NDRF. ...
(2015-2018),
a
Padma Shri
Padma Shri ( IAST: ''padma śrī''), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is conf ...
recipient
* Dr
P. Kunhikrishnan (2018-2021)
References
External links
*https://www.ursc.gov.in
{{authority control
Research institutes in Bangalore
Space programme of India
Space technology research institutes
Research institutes established in 1972
1971 establishments in Mysore State