ISRO Selects A S Kiran Kumar as New Chairman

A S Kiran Kumar, the new chairman of ISRO. Photo: ISRO

[Via Satellite 01-14-2015] The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has appointed its Director of the Space Applications Center (SAC), A S Kiran Kumar to the office of secretary of the Department of Space, Chairman of the Space Commission, and Chairman of ISRO. Kiran Kumar takes the place of K. Radhakrishnan.

Kiran Kumar started with SAC in 1975, and moved up to the role of director in March 2012. He has more than four decades of experience in the fields of satellite payload and application. Kiran Kumar contributed to the design and development of electro-optical imaging sensors for satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO). He also assisted in developing the Mars color camera, thermal infrared imaging spectrometer and methane sensor for India’s Mars Orbiter spacecraft, along with orbital insertion. While at SAC, Kiran Kumar guided the design, development and realization of satellite programs for Earth observation, telecommunications, navigation, space science and planetary exploration.