About the Centre

The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras), in collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), has established the Shri S. Ramakrishnan Centre of Excellence for Research in Fluid and Thermal Sciences. ISRO has provided a seed funding to support the establishment of this Centre and its research infrastructure. The Centre serves as a nodal hub for spacecraft and launch vehicle thermal management research. It leverages the expertise of IIT Madras faculty and ISRO scientists to address complex challenges in thermal design, analysis, and testing of space systems.Research activities focus on critical areas such as spacecraft thermal management, combustion instability in hybrid rockets, cryo-tank thermodynamics, advanced cooling systems, and high-fidelity computational and experimental studies. The Centre aims to strengthen industry-academia collaboration and contribute to India’s self-reliance in space technologies.The Centre was inaugurated on 17 March 2025 by Dr. V. Narayanan, Chairman, ISRO, at IIT Madras. Named in honour of Shri S. Ramakrishnan, a distinguished alumnus and former leader in India’s launch vehicle programs, the Centre aspires to advance cutting-edge research that supports India’s future space missions, including lunar, interplanetary, and human spaceflight programs.
Founding vision: The idea of establishing this Centre of Excellence was first proposed in 2023 by Dr. P. V. Venkitakrishnan, Professor-of-Practice, IITM.

Shri. S. Ramakrishnan was a renowned aerospace engineer who made significant contributions to India’s launch vehicle development at Indian Space Research Organisation. After graduating from College of Engineering, Guindy and completing his M.Tech in Aerospace Engineering with first rank from Indian Institute of Technology Madras, he joined ISRO in 1972.

He played key roles in the development of major launch vehicles including SLV-3, Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), and GSLV Mk III (LVM3). As Project Director of PSLV, he led the programme during its operational phase and enhanced its payload capacity.

Shri. S. Ramakrishnan later served as Director of LPSC (2010–2012) and Director of VSSC (2013–2014). In recognition of his contributions to science and engineering, he was awarded the Padma Shri in 2003.

Mission & Impact

Mission

To establish a national hub for spacecraft thermal management research, addressing design, analysis, and testing challenges in advanced space systems.

To promote collaborative research between Indian Institute of Technology Madras and Indian Space Research Organisation in advanced thermal and fluid sciences.

Why IIT Madras ?

Consistently ranked among the top engineering institutions in India. Strong thermofluids research group with expertise in theory, experiments, and computation

Established research ecosystem and infrastructure. Access to advanced laboratories, high-performance computing facilities, and interdisciplinary research expertise.

Benefits

An ‘extended arm’ of ISRO for thermal management, streamlining project execution without administrative hurdles.

Direct access to world-class faculty and facilities. Accelerated technology development. Seamless coordination between funding agency and academic research.

Primary Collaboration

ISRO

Indian Space Research Organisation

Host Collaboration

IITM

Indian Institute of Technology Madras

Scope of Collaboration

Joint research initiatives
Biannual meetings of the Joint Management Council (JMC).
Technology Development and Validation
Research Scholars and ISRO's officials training

Areas of Joint Research

Active Thermal Management System
Passive Thermal Management System
Cryogenic Tank Thermodynamics
Data-Driven Thermal Modeling

About the Centre

Shri. S. Ramakrishnan

Distinguished Aerospace Engineer & Former Director, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre
1949 to 2020

Inauguration

The Centre was inaugurated on 17 March 2025 by Dr. V. Narayanan, Chairman, ISRO, at IIT Madras.
Glimpses from the inauguration ceremony of the Centre of Excellence, marking the official launch of the centre’s research initiatives, collaborative programs, and academic activities.