This sunrise industry has room for youth with electrical and mechanical engineering, IT, physics, maths and aerospace engineering qualifications

After the successful launch of India’s Mars Orbiter Mission by the Bangalore-based Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on November 5, 2013 and its successful insertion into Mars’ orbit on September 24, ISRO became the first Asian agency (and fourth worldwide) to achieve this feat, arousing countrywide interest in the space sciences. Fortunately for the brave and adventurous, there’s a vast expanse of career opportunities opening up in this 21st century industry.

Space science careers include working on new satellites or developing technologies to map distant planets. Space scientists make new discoveries about the solar system or use satellites to study pollution on earth. They also connect the world’s remotest communities and help in disaster management. This sunrise industry has room for youth with a wide range of skills and qualifications, including electrical and mechanical engineering, IT and software systems, physics, mathematics, space sciences and aerospace engineering.

Study programmes

The best academic route for careers in the space sciences, is Plus Two in physics, chemistry and mathematics followed by a bachelor’s degree in physics and a postgrad degree in astrophysics or astronomy. Alternatively, you could sign up for an integrated Masters in physics at institutions such as the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER); National Institute of Science Education & Research (NISER), Bhubaneswar; UM-DAE Centre for Excellence in Basic Sciences (CBS), Mumbai; National Institutes of Technology (NITs), IITs etc, and follow it up with doctorate programmes. Graduates of the four-year B.Tech in aerospace engineering, B.Tech in avionics or B.Tech in physical science of the Indian Institute of Space Sciences and Technology (IIST), Thiruvananthapuram (www.iist.ac.in) are readily absorbed into the Indian Space Research Organisation (www.isro.gov.in).

Postgraduate degree programmes in astronomy/astrophysics or space sciences are few and far between, though some universities offer astrophysics as a specialisation in their postgraduate physics degree programmes. An engineering degree in any discipline also provides the foundation for a Ph D in astronomy or astrophysics. Admission to Ph D programmes is usually through an entrance examination. In this connection, it’s useful to note that IIST is Asia’s first institute to offer the complete range of undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programmes with specific focus on space sciences, technology and applications.

Employment options

“While considering a career in the space sciences, one should bear in mind that a majority of jobs are on the ground with only a tiny fraction of space scientists getting the opportunity to be launched into space missions. For every astronaut launched into space, there are thousands of support personnel on the ground without whose skills, knowledge and efforts, no mission would be possible,” says Dr. Suram Singh Verma, professor of physics at the Sant Longowal Institute of Engineering and Technology (SLIET) — a deemed university sited in Longowal, Punjab.

According to Dr. Verma, the technology, research and sciences application and intellectual excitement opportunities apart, remuneration packages are not insubstantial.  Freshers inducted into ISRO as technicians start at Rs.25,000-35,000 per month while scientists begin at Rs.50,000-60,000. “Excellent opportunities are available in academia as well,” adds Verma.

Career progression

A science graduate of Bilaspur University (1980) with a Masters in physics from Himachal University, Dr. Verma was awarded a Ph D for his thesis on magneto hydro dynamic power generation, by IIT-Delhi in 1990. Subsequently, he pressed on for post-doctoral studies at the Toyohashi University of Technology, Japan under a Japanese government fellowship prior to signing up with SLIET, Longowal in 1994. A globally respected scholar and researcher of the space sciences, Dr. Verma’s score of research papers published in reputed national/international journals is over 70.

Unsurprisingly, Dr. Verma believes that in the new digital age, employment opportunities for qualified space scientists will continue to multiply in education, application of space sciences research, and environment management. “Digital technologies such as weather forecasting, remote sensing, GPS systems, satellite television, and long distance communications systems are becoming increasingly dependent on space infrastructure. Moreover, the space sciences are attracting the interest of a wide range of private corporates, including small and medium-sized enterprises. Therefore there will be intensifying demand for youth with skills and qualifications in the space sciences,” says this enthusiastic and knowledgeable academic.