A new research building planned at Chandipur will support scientific research involving the Department of Space, the Ministry of Earth Sciences and DRDO. Here's what the new research center will do.The facility will be built in Balasore district, Odisha. (Represntational Isro) India is planning a dedicated research centre in Odisha to help scientists study the atmosphere, weather and conditions in space, with the Department of Space inviting tenders for a new facility at Chandipur in Balasore district, Odisha.The Atmospheric and Space Science Research Facility (ASRF) is being developed in partnership with the Ministry of Earth Sciences and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).The centre is envisioned as a major research site where scientists can investigate processes in the atmosphere and the space environment.The project builds on the Balasore Rocket Launching Station, which has operated at the site since 1979 and has been used to launch sounding rockets for scientific experiments.
These rockets carry instruments into the upper atmosphere to collect data that cannot easily be gathered from the ground.WHAT WILL THE NEW BALASORE RESEARCH FACILITY DO?The atmosphere is constantly changing, from the weather systems that bring rain to conditions in the upper layers of air that influence how radio signals travel. Studying these processes helps scientists understand the environment surrounding Earth and how it behaves.The ASRF is intended to support experiments and research into atmospheric and space-related phenomena.
Such work can help build scientific knowledge and support practical applications linked to weather, atmospheric conditions and the space environment.The facility has been described as a research “super site”, bringing together efforts by multiple government agencies.According to a December 2024 reply in the Rajya Sabha by Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh, the project is being undertaken jointly by the Department of Space, the Ministry of Earth Sciences and DRDO.The tender, issued through the Construction and Maintenance Group at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, estimates the building project at Rs 9.06 crore.Civil and plumbing work accounts for Rs 5.67 crore, while electrical installations are estimated at Rs 2.97 crore. Air-conditioning work will cost another Rs 42 lakh.Construction is expected to take 15 months from the date the work order is issued.Indian contractors can download tender documents between October 23 and November 12, 2026.
Bids must be submitted by November 20, with technical bids scheduled to open on November 23.The tender also requires an earnest money deposit of Rs 18.12 lakh, although micro and small enterprises are exempt.- Ends