A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), Bengaluru and Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES), Nainital for cooperation in the field of Space Situational Awareness (SSA) and Astrophysics was signed by Shri.R.Umamaheswaran, Scientific Secretary, ISRO and Prof. (Dr.) Dipankar Banerjee, Director, ARIES through video at ISRO Headquarters and ARIES Headquarters on 4th June 2020.
Dr.A.K.Anilkumar, Director, Directorate for Space Situational Awareness & Management (DSSAM), Dr.P.Sreekumar, Satish Dhawan Professor, ISRO, Shri.Deva Arul Daniel, Associate Director, DSSAM, Ms.Bulbul Mukherjee, Associate Director, DSSAM, Dr.V.Girish, Deputy Director, Space Science Programme Office (SSPO) and Shri.C.V.S.S.Sowmitra, Deputy Programme Manager, DSSAM were present from ISRO side. Faculty members, chairs and co-chairs of ARIES, Dr.Brijesh Kumar, Dr.Amitesh Omar, Dr.Kuntal Misra, Dr.Manish Naja, Dr.T.S. Kumar and Dr.Santosh Joshi were present from ARIES side.
Space objects orbital tracking, analysis and space weather studies are important aspects in Space Situational Awareness & Management to safe guard Indian space assets from critical conjunction threats from space debris. Future endeavors in space exploration depends on R&D in Astrophysics, solar sciences and space environment. Self-reliance in these areas is key to the progress of Indian space arena.
This MoU will pave the way for future collaborations between ISRO and ARIES in establishing optical telescope observational facilities for space object tracking, R&D studies in space weather, astrophysics and Near Earth Object (NEO).
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