S Ramakrishnan Centre of Excellence
for Research in Fluid and Thermal Sciences
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 of ₹1.84 crore 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
Distinguished Aerospace Engineer & Former Director, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre
02/06/1949 to 01/12/2020
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.
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.
Thermal Sciences in Action
Mission
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To establish a national hub for spacecraft thermal management research, addressing design, analysis, and testing challenges in advanced space systems.
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To promote collaborative research between Indian Institute of Technology Madras and Indian Space Research Organisation in advanced thermal and fluid sciences.
Why IIT Madras ?
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Consistently ranked among the top engineering institutions in India
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Strong thermofluids research group with expertise in theory, experiments, and computation
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Established research ecosystem and infrastructure
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Access to advanced laboratories, high-performance computing facilities, and interdisciplinary research expertise.
Benefits
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An ‘extended arm’ of ISRO for thermal management, streamlining project execution without administrative hurdles.
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Direct access to world-class faculty and facilities.
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Accelerated technology development
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Seamless coordination between funding agency and academic research.
Collaboration
Primary Collaboration
ISRO
Indian Space Research Organisation
Host Institution
IITM
Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Scope of Collaboration
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Joint research initiatives
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Biannual meetings of the Joint Management Council (JMC).
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Technology Development and Validation
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Research Scholars and ISRO's officials training
Funding Support
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The Centre has been established with seed funding of ₹1.84 crore from ISRO to support research infrastructure, equipment, and collaborative projects at IIT Madras.
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Project 1 will be supported with ₹42 Lakhs, Project 2 with ₹39 Lakhs, Project 3 with ₹35 Lakhs, and Project 4 with ₹33 Lakhs to carry out research activities under the Centre.
Areas of Joint Research
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Active Thermal Management
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Passive Thermal Management
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Cryogenic Tank Thermodynamics
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Data-Driven Thermal Modeling
Collaborating Laboratories
The Centre works closely with laboratories and research facilities within IIT Madras to support technical teams from ISRO
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Heat Transfer and Thermal Power Laboratory
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Fluid Systems Laboratory
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Hydroturbomachines Laboratory
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Data Science and AI Department (for Data-Driven project)