SLV-3  hours before its launch, the sleek rocket which heralded India into the space age

BANGALORE: ISRO chairman K Sivan, while pointing out the various challenges encountered due to Covid-19, said virtual launch control centre (LCC) and satellite control centre (SCC) may become the new normal, while the agency has a packed year ahead that will also see more reforms.

“In the future, when we look back at 2020, we’ll be reminded of trials and tribulations owing to the pandemic. Notwithstanding this, a lot of work progressed in virtual mode in design and development. Major technical issues of Gaganyaan and Chandrayaan-3 were addressed, concept of virtual LCC, SCC got evolved and implemented. In fact, this mode of work appears to be more efficient and can be the new normal,” Sivan said in his New Year message.

Sivan said the last 10 years were a decade of many firsts in almost all verticals of ISRO: The operationalisation of GSLV with indigenous cryogenic stage and GSLV MK-III, Mars Orbiter Mission, Astrosat, NavIC constellation, heaviest high throughput satellite, and technology demonstration missions of winged body Reusable Launch Vehicle & Scramjet engine.

“When we look towards the next decade, we must be aware that globally, the sector is facing disruption due to entry of many private players, changing all aspects, including launch vehicles and human spaceflight, which were hitherto the domain of government space agencies,” he said.

Hardening their position ahead of the next round of talks with the government, protesting farmer unions on Saturday said they will take out a tractor parade towards Delhi on January 26, when the country will celebrate Republic Day, if their demands are not met. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be in the national capital on January 26.

In line with global directions, ISRO requires to develop heavy lift launch vehicles, semi-cryogenic stages, reusable launch vehicles, advance propulsion, next-generation avionics, advance materials, dynamic space applications and efficient integration of space-based services as well as advanced space science missions, Sivan said.

“The situation is not different in our country; for the first time, we have a handful of entrepreneurs who’ve come forward to develop end-to-end launch vehicles and satellites with the aim of providing space-based services...The government announced a series of initiatives to provide policy support and enable them to co-exist and achieve commercial success,” he added.

Sivan said the interim committee of the Indian National Space Promotion & Authorization Centre is already making efforts to interface with 28 private players and processing applications, which would also put in place a seamless operating mechanism for IN-SPACe, as and when it becomes fully operational.