India appointed rocket scientist V. Narayanan as the new head of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), the government said on Tuesday, a key role as India works to become a space superpower.
Narayanan takes over from S. Somanath, who became chairman in 2022 and has been credited with making the 54-year-old space agency more approachable and opening it up to engage with the next generation.
Narayanan, who has worked on the key rocket launches such as ISRO's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle and led the center that designs and develops liquid propulsion systems for the agency, will take over on Jan. 14 for a two-year term.
Narayanan did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The $400 billion global commercial space market is expected to be worth $1 trillion by 2030. India wants to expand its share in the global space market and grab a $40 billion slice of the pie by 2040, the federal government has said.
