ISRO Chief S Somanath Announces Ambitious Project at IIT Bombay’s Techfest
Bengaluru, NFAPost: In a significant development, India has formally invited the G20 nations to participate in the creation of a groundbreaking G20 satellite focused on environmental and climate observations. The announcement was made by ISRO Chief S Somanath during his address at Techfest, the prestigious annual science and technology festival of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay.
The proposed G20 satellite is set to be launched within the next two years, with India taking the lead in constructing the satellite. Somanath emphasized the critical role of weather and climate in the project, stating that India aims to contribute substantially by measuring a wide range of parameters. These include air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, humidity variations, precipitation patterns, ocean behaviour, currents, waves, soil moisture levels, and radiation budgeting.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had initially proposed the idea of launching a G20 satellite for comprehensive environmental and climate monitoring in September. Somanath reiterated India’s commitment to ensuring that the collected data would be made accessible globally, benefitting nations worldwide for weather modelling and scientific research.
“We offered to build a satellite, and we are asking the G20 nations to contribute to this satellite through payloads and instruments that they can develop here,” Somanath announced. He further emphasized the collaborative nature of the initiative, welcoming scientific communities from across the globe to participate in building a satellite for the world.
This ambitious project aligns with India’s vision to play a leading role in addressing global environmental challenges and fostering international cooperation in space exploration and research. As the G20 nations contemplate their contributions to this pioneering satellite endeavour, the world eagerly anticipates the positive impact it could have on climate science and environmental understanding on a global scale.
