Assam's Chandrapur to get space observatory

Guwahati: Chandrapur, located on the outskirts of Guwahati, is set to become home to a major space observatory that will play a pivotal role in India's satellite launches, announced Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. "We expect commissioning the first phase by Jan 2026," Sarma said on Monday following his meeting with Isro chairman V Narayanan in New Delhi.

During the meeting, Sarma outlined the state govt's vision to have its own satellite, ASSAMSAT, in collaboration with INSPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre), Dept of Space, Govt of India.

"ASSAMSAT will ensure a continuous flow of data to support critical socio-economic projects and provide dedicated services for agriculture, disaster management, infrastructure development, border security, and police operations," Sarma said.