Respond Program

The main objective of the RESPOND Programme at PRL is to establish strong links with premiere academic institutions in India by carrying out research and developmental projects which are of relevance to Space Sciences. RESPOND programme aims to enhance academic research, helps in capacity building by training manpower and  to establish infrastructure at the academic institutes with an objective to support the Indian Space programme. Under RESPOND, projects in the advanced areas of relevance to Space programme are encouraged to be taken up by premiere universities/academic institutions. ISRO helps these institutions to establish the necessary technical facilities and also provides fellowships to researchers to work on cutting edge research topics.  Major topics of research and development carried out in PRL are published in “Research Areas in Space" which is a comprehensive document highlighting PRL’s major programmes, current and upcoming R&D requirements in space sciences. This document caters to the advanced research requirements, wherein Space Technology Cells (STCs), Space Technology Incubation Centre (STIC) and Regional Academic Centre for Space (RAC-S) established at various IITs/NITs and premier institutes across the country can select and submit R&D proposals. PRL also offers RESPOND BASKET proposals every year which comprise of the most urgent and important research problems at PRL described in a brief write-up. Based on this requirement,  the faculty of the academic Institutions/Universities  other than the Space Technology Cells (STCs) and Regional Academic Centre for Space (RAC-S) can select and prepare the proposals. In particular, RESPOND program of PRL provides funding to academia in India for conducting research and development activities, in the fields of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrochemistry, Cosmology, the Physics of Earth's atmosphere, ionosphere magnetosphere, Planetary and Interplanetary Space Physics, Solar Physics, Space Weather, Quantum Physics and Communication.

The details of Research Areas in Space and RESPOND basket are available at https://www.isro.gov.in/ SupportedAreasofResearch.html

RESPOND Basket document: 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025

Research Areas in Space: 2018, 2021, 2023, 2025

The research studies conducted by the STC/ Academia are expected to be directed towards some of the future Space activities, which would be a good supplement to various missions undertaken by ISRO.