Article Posted on : - Jun 08, 2011

ISRO's GSLV Mk III engine.

NEW DELHI (PTI): The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Tuesday said it will start flight testing of the GSLV Mk III for launching four-tonne class of satellites in the next two years.

Addressing the National Technology Summit here, ISRO Chairman K Radhakrishnan said the space agency would be completing work on the Astrosat and the Aditya projects by 2012 and 2013 respectively.

"In the next two years, we are looking to begin the flight-testing of the GSLV Mk III engine, which will be the third-largest in the world," he said.

It is intended to launch heavy satellites into geostationary orbit, and will allow India to become less dependent on foreign rockets for heavy lifting.

Astrosat is India's first dedicated astronomy satellite whereas Aditya is a spacecraft whose mission is to study the Sun.

Speaking on the occasion, Science and Technology Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said the private industry should also start increasing its share in investment in research and development.

"In India, the total investment in research and development is 0.8 per cent of the GDP and out of that, the private sector contributes only 20 per cent. That needs to be increased," he said.

The Minister said there was a need to increase interface between the academia, industry and research and development institutions to combine their efforts for creating resources in the country.

Planning Commission Member K Kasturirangan and CSIR chief Samir K Brahmachari were also present at the occasion.