Renowned Scientist U R Rao responsible for launch of 18 satellites passes away

Bengaluru, Jul 24 :  Renowned Space Scientist Prof Udupi Ramakrishna Rao,who was one among the great scientists to built country's first Satellite Aryabhata, passed away at his residence in Indiranagar in the early hours of today. He was 85 and survived by his wife, a son and daughter. Born in temple town Admar in Udupi district, Prof Rao had served as Chairman of ISRO for 10 years (1984-94) and was inducted into International Aeronautical Federation (IAF) Hall of Fame last year during the closing ceremony of IAF Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico. Padma Vibhushan Prof Rao was responsible for launch of 18 satellites including Aryabhata, Bhaskara. Prof Rao was serving as the Chairman of the Governing Council of the Physical Laboratory at Ahmedabad and was the Chancellor of the Indian Institute of Science and Technology at Thiruvananthapuram, He had also worked as a faculty member at MIT and held the position of Assistant Professor at University of Texas at Dallas. Prof Rao was inducted into the prestigious 'Satellite Hall of Fame' at Washington DC in 2013. Prof Rao has to his credit over 350 scientific and technical papers covering wide range of topics including cosmic rays, interplanetary physics, high energy astronomy, space applications and satellite and rocket technology. He had also penned several books on subjects related to space research. Agencies