Chennai: The ExTeM (Extraterrestrial Manufacturing) research center at the IIT Madras, aims to broaden access to space for diverse industries, including resource extraction, infrastructure development, and pharmaceutical research, the institute said on Monday.

The ExTeM was established under the Institute of Eminence (IoE) scheme at IIT Madras, and is focused on advancing technologies for manufacturing activities in space.

This center was founded in 2021 to advance India's Space 2.0 initiatives. "It aims to broaden access to space for diverse industries, including resource extraction, infrastructure development, and pharmaceutical research," the institute said in a release here.

The group is dedicated to developing innovative processes to tackle the challenges of constructing infrastructure, 3D printing tools, and extracting materials crucial for sustainable space exploration and future human settlement on the Moon and Mars.

"By harnessing in-situ resources, such as lunar regolith and Martian soil, ExTeM aims to reduce reliance on Earth-based supply chains, significantly lowering costs and payload requirements," it said.

The center's projects are categorised into two groups: 'Making in Space for Space' and 'Making in Space for Earth.'

The optical fibre project for the upcoming year will be funded by a prominent Indian company in the manufacturing sector, thus highlighting the growing interest among industries in leveraging research and capitalising on emerging technologies, it said.

In another release, IIT Madras said it admitted five national athletes under its Sports Excellence Admission' category for the academic year 2024-2025. This initiative is offered through two supernumerary seats in each of its undergraduate programmes for Indian nationals, of which one will be exclusively for female students.

"The IIT Madras became the first IIT in the country to introduce admissions for sportspersons in its undergraduate programmes. This initiative is to recognise and reward talented students who have excelled in sports," the release said.