A great challenge to head Isro: New chairman

Newly appointed Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) chairman K Radhakrishnan today said it was a great challenge to head the country's space agency, considering the high expectations from various quarters.

Speaking to reporters here, Radhakrishnan also said he was privileged to get the post and considered it an honour.

"As a team, in Isro we need to move ahead. We will do our best to achieve our goals," Radhakrishnan, presently director of Vikram Sabarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, said.

Yesterday, he had offered prayers at the Sree Krishna Temple at Guruvayur near here soon after he was appointed the new chairman of Isro.

"Space applications, satellites and launch vehicles are programmes of thrust. Another imporant mission is the human space flight programme," he said.

A senior scientist who played a key role in several Indian space missions, Radhakrishnan succeeds G Madhavan Nair who is retiring this month-end.