Dr. V. Narayanan

Cryogenic propulsion expert who led the C25 cryogenic stage for LVM3 and became ISRO Chairman on 13 January 2025.

Contribution

Narayanan's career is built around cryogenic engines, which burn liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. ISRO's rockets for heavy satellites use a cryogenic stage at the top.

When India could not acquire cryogenic technology from abroad, ISRO built its own Cryogenic Upper Stage for the GSLV Mk II, and he played a central part in that. As Project Director of the C25 project he led the design and development of the 25-tonne cryogenic stage of LVM3, powered by an engine of 200 kN thrust.

He chaired the national expert committee that studied why the Chandrayaan-2 lander made a hard landing. Propulsion systems for Chandrayaan-3 and the human-rated LVM3 stages for Gaganyaan were delivered under him.

Career

He joined ISRO in 1984 and spent his first four and a half years at VSSC on solid motors for sounding rockets, the ASLV and the PSLV. He completed an M.Tech in cryogenic engineering at IIT Kharagpur in 1989, ranking first, and then moved to the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre. He earned a PhD in aerospace engineering from IIT Kharagpur in 2001.

He later became Director of LPSC. He took charge as ISRO Chairman, Chairman of the Space Commission and Secretary of the Department of Space on the afternoon of 13 January 2025.

Linked missions

LVM3: C25 cryogenic stage.
GSLV: indigenous Cryogenic Upper Stage.
Chandrayaan-2: orbiter and lander propulsion; led the review of the lander's hard landing.
Gaganyaan: human-rating of LVM3 stages.