ISRO to Establish Infrastructure for Space Activities in Assam

Assam is set to host a new infrastructure for space-related activities, following a joint reconnaissance visit by Keshab Mahanta, minister for science and technology in the Assam government and V Narayanan, chairperson at ISRO. 

The visit aimed to establish a multi-purpose facility in the state, which will enhance the safety of India’s space assets and support weather advisory services. The facility will be essential in supporting India’s space program. 

Mahanta pledged full support from the Assam government for this endeavor. He also expressed his vision for establishing a space museum in the area, which would benefit students and the public. 

Narayanan welcomed the idea and assured ISRO’s cooperation. As part of this initiative, ISRO will provide necessary technical assistance to ensure the project’s success. 

In a related development, Assam is moving forward with its satellite project, ASSAMSAT, in collaboration with ISRO. The satellite will focus on providing services for agriculture, disaster management, infrastructure development, and border security. It will be controlled from Guwahati and include a constellation of low-earth orbiting satellites.

CM Himanta Biswa Sarma has stated that Assam will be the first state in India to have its own satellite, which will aid in monitoring illegal infiltration and enhancing disaster preparedness. 

Apart from government organisations, many big technology and IT companies have also recently shown interest in the state. Reliance announced plans to invest ₹50,000 crore in Assam for AI, nuclear energy and data centres. ‘AI’ also stands for ‘Assam Intelligence’, said Mukesh Ambani.

Meanwhile, Infosys also expanded its presence in the state by establishing a 230-member project development centre in Guwahati, marking a significant step in Assam’s push to become a major IT hub.