New Delhi: The Department of Space has tightened the rules governing the resignation and voluntary retirement of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientists after more than 100 scientists, including personnel associated with key national missions such as Gaganyaan and Chandrayaan-3, reportedly resigned in recent months.

ISRO, India's national space agency under the Department of Space, is executing several strategically important programmes, including the Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission, Chandrayaan missions and other satellite and launch vehicle projects. The organisation currently has a workforce of more than 14,600 employees.

According to reports, more than 80 scientists resigned from the U.R. Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) in Bengaluru, while over 20 scientists stepped down from the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in Thiruvananthapuram.

The scientists who resigned reportedly include Aditya Rallapalli, a senior scientist who played a key role in the Chandrayaan-3 mission.

Following the resignations, the Department of Space issued a circular revising the approval process for resignations and voluntary retirement requests.

Under the revised guidelines, ISRO centre directors will no longer be permitted to directly accept resignation or voluntary retirement requests from Group 'A' scientists and technical personnel involved in major national missions, including Gaganyaan.

Instead, all such requests must be forwarded to the Department of Space for final approval. The circular also states that requests should ordinarily not be accepted until the completion of critical national projects.

Former ISRO chief joins Agnikul Cosmos

Meanwhile, former ISRO Chairman S. Somanath, who led the organisation during the successful Chandrayaan-3, Aditya-L1 and LVM3 missions, has joined the board of directors of Chennai-based space start-up Agnikul Cosmos.

The company is developing reusable launch vehicle technologies aimed at reducing the cost of satellite launches. Its approach involves recovering rocket stages for reuse while minimising space debris, a technology that could significantly lower launch costs if successfully commercialised.