Space tech experts who spoke at a two-day conference organised by the College of Engineering, Trivandrum (CET) stressed the growing role of small satellites in space applications.
S. Somanath, director, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), inaugurated the second National Conference on Small Satellite Technology and Applications (NCSSTA 2020) organised by the CET in collaboration with the Society for Small Satellite Systems (SSSS).
The two-day AICTE-sponsored event on December 11 and 12 was conducted as a virtual conference as part of the 80th anniversary celebrations of the CET. Sam Dayala Dev, Director of ISRO Inertial Systems Unit (IISU) spoke on space robotics and how a combination of artificial intelligence and robotics can aid future small satellite missions.
B.H.V.S. Narayana Murthy, director, Research Centre Imarat, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), spoke on the game-changing role of small satellites in defence applications including space-based surveillance. Tom Segert, Berlin Space Technologies, Germany, said the collaboration between industry and academia was essential for the bright future of the small satellite technology and applications especially in a global context.
Sanjay Nekkanti, CEO, Dhruva Space, stressed the need for cultivating an ecosystem for space start-ups. Dr. Jiji C.V., Principal, CET, and coordinator of CET-SAT student satellite project, presided. Rakesh S, chairman and managing director, Antrix Corporation; A. Rajarajan, director, Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota; Hari Nagarajan, senior engineer, Blue Origin, spoke.
