Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman S. Somanath has said that researchers delving into the mysteries of the ocean can utilise the expertise and methods developed by the ISRO in areas such as the use of sensors to explore the depths.
“While we are exploring space, we are also exploring the depths of the oceans, a big challenge before us. Both space, ocean and explorations put us together on a journey of discoveries,” he said, addressing the ninth convocation of the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (Kufos) in Kochi on October 31.
He said ISRO had been using satellites and sensors to measure ocean surface temperature, wave height, salinity and sea surges as well as for tsunami prediction and warning, discovering plankton growth, locating fish schools, and studying the impact of El Nino.
Fisheries Minister Saji Cherian said the State government and ISRO would work in close cooperation to utilise the ISRO expertise in ensuring the safety of fishermen as well as to improve the living conditions of the fishing community. He said the Tamil Nadu government and ISRO had reached an agreement on the use of the organisation’s expertise and a similar path would be followed by Kerala. Governor Arif Mohammed Khan said that “we can be proud that science and technology have helped our nation conquer the skies and the moon, and to set its sight on the depths of the ocean”.
He said that following the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the moon’s south pole, “we are now preparing for a groundbreaking journey to explore six-kilometre-deep ocean waters with the ‘Samudrayaan’ mission. This first manned deep ocean mission seeks to study and assess the biodiversity and health of the deep sea”.