Article Posted on : - Jun 12, 2009

Dr.Kasturirangan Former ISRO Chief and presently a Rajya Sabha MP. A file Photo

CHENNAI (PTI): India needs to address the issue of space security as the weapon system deployed there could target civilian satellites, former ISRO Chief K Kasturirangan said.

"We need to address the issue of space security at the earliest as India has already put many satellites in space even as we are developing many. There are weapons system which could target even civilian satellites. So we have to develop systems to safeguard our satellites from any kind of threat," Kasturirangan told reporters at an inauguration function of a school at Vallancherry near Chennai, Thursday.

As India successfully launched Chandrayaan-I and placed more satellites in space efforts are on in the area of developing safeguards, he said.

Asked what should be India's focus in space technology in the coming years he said there is a need for "improvement in remote sensing for its wider application which could be done using Artificial Intelligence (AI). India should involve in planetary exploration albeit with international cooperation".

Calling for cost-cutting measures, he said scientists should explore the possibilities of better propulsion systems and re-usable vehicles for this purpose.

A Rajya Sabha MP, Kasturirangan said there was no dearth of funds for space research in India and said that the Centre was "generous" in its grant.