S Somanath Biography: Birth, Age, Family, Education, Career, Salary and More about ISRO Chairman

S Somanath Biography: S. Somanath was appointed as the 10th Chairman of ISRO by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) on January 12, 2022.

He served as Chairman of ISRO for three years. Additionally, his term includes an extension of the retirement age in the public interest or until further notice, whichever occurs first.

As the term of ISRO Chairman is coming to an end, S. Somanath will take over on January 14, 2025. After him, Dr. V. Narayanan will take over the post.

ISRO under the leadership of S Somanath has successfully led various space missions. One of them was the soft landing of Chandrayaan-3 at the south pole of the moon and now India’s first voyage to the sun.

This is the detailed biography of S Somanath, the 10th Chairman of ISRO.

Read | Chandrayaan 3 Moon Landing Live Updates, Current Status and Latest News

S Somanath Biography

born July 1963
age 58 years old
educate

kerala university

indian institute of science

wife Valsala
children two
Successful Dr. K. Sivan
serve 10th Chairman of ISRO

S Somanath Biography: Birth, Age and Education

S Somanath was born in July 1963. He hails from Alappuzha (Alleppey), Kerala. He is 58 years old.

S Somanath graduated in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Kerala and completed his postgraduate graduation in Aerospace Engineering from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc).

Read | Today’s Chandrayaan 3 moon landing time: When and where to watch live

S Somanath family

S Somanath is married to Valsala and the couple has two children. Her wife works in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) department under the Ministry of Finance. Both children completed graduate studies in engineering. Although Somanath’s father was a Hindi teacher, he encouraged his son’s passion for science and provided him with science books in English and Malayalam.

S. Somanath’s acting career

S Somanath joined ISRO in 1985 and has since held various positions in LPSC and VSSC, including Program Manager, Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), Deputy Director, Structural Entity/Propulsion and Space Ordnance Entity, and Program Director, Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mk-III).

He was involved in the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) project during its initial stages and served as Deputy Director of the Propulsion and Space Regulations Entity until November 2014.

In June 2015, he served as the director of the Liquid Propulsion System Center (LPSC), responsible for the design and implementation of liquid propulsion systems for launch vehicles and spacecraft projects.

S Somanath was previously the Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Center (VSSC). VSSC is ISRO’s lead center for launch vehicle design and implementation.

S. Somanath as Chairman, ISRO

As ISRO Chairman, S Somanath will focus on technology, policy, implementation and areas where stakeholders need to be taken care of. He will also work to expand the space ecosystem into the industrial sector.

S Somnath took over as Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) on January 14, 2022. He is the tenth Chairman of ISRO and the first Chairman from Kerala.

Somanath is an aerospace engineer with over 35 years of experience in the aerospace field. He has held several important positions in ISRO, including Director, Vikram Sarabhai Space Center (VSSC) and Liquid Propulsion Systems Center (LPSC). He is also the recipient of the prestigious “Space Gold Medal” of the Indian Astronautical Society.

Somanath is a highly qualified and experienced engineer with a proven track record of success. He is widely respected in the space community and is known for his dedication to his work.

In his new role as ISRO Chairman, Somanath will be tasked with leading the next phase of the organization’s growth. He said he plans to focus on developing new technologies, extending ISRO’s reach into new areas and strengthening its international partnerships.

He was involved in the development of Chandrayaan-3 and announced the launch of India’s moon landing mission, scheduled to take place from July 13 to July 19, 2023. The spacecraft took off on July 14, 2023, and the LVM3 M4 carrier propelled Chandrayaan-3 to the designated orbit.

On August 5, Chandrayaan-3 arrived in lunar orbit, and the mission was successful at 6:04 pm on August 23, 2023

Read | Chandrayaan 3: Launched today, know payload and other specs

S Somanath’s areas of expertise

Somanath is an expert in launch vehicle structural systems, structural dynamics, mechanisms, high temperature systems and launch vehicle integration. His pioneering contributions to mechanically integrated design have made PSLV a highly sought-after microsatellite launcher around the world. He also provided technical leadership for the design of the GSLV MkIII.

S Somanath Awards and Honors

1- Space Gold Award from the Astronautical Society of India (ASI) 2- GSLV Mk-III Achievement Excellence Award from ISRO in 2014 and Team Excellence Award in 2014 3- Academician of the Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE) 4- Communication Fellow International Academy of Astronautics ( Dean of the IAA).

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