ISRO, the Indian Space Research Organisation announced that it is going to establish a 'Space Technology Incubation Center' (S-TIC) at the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Rourkela.

The main objective of setting up this S-TIC is to carry out research and product development in space technology and applications.

This centre will promote startups, capacity-building, innovations and research in space technology in the states Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand besides the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

To meet the objectives, NIT Rourkela will provide its state-of-the-art laboratories, facilities and expert faculties.

The space technology-related research and the products from the S-TIC will be utilised in future Space missions and will help nation building through 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan' in space technology and applications domain, observed, K. Sivan, Chairman, ISRO and Secretary Department of Space.

Students and research scholars will execute real projects given by ISRO of NIT Rourkela taking guidance from expert faculties, mentors from ISRO and relevant industries, Sivan added.

The NIT will receive an annual Grant-in-Aid of Rs 2 crore for a period of up to two years from ISRO as the seed money for setting up the S-TIC. This will be utilised for facility augmentation to carry out the research projects and product development taken from ISRO. NIT Rourkela will provide the required infrastructure inside its academic campus.

The key outcomes envisaged from the S-TIC include Research and innovation in space technology, product development, IPR, space start-up, business incubation, etc.

The MoU for setting up the S-TIC was signed virtually.

(With inputs from IANS)