Dr. Palash Kumar Basu and his group in Dept of Avionics is conducting research to develop miniaturize gas sensors to monitor the emissions from soil for precession agriculture. This Gas sensor technology will provide new dimensions in the field of precision agriculture, Air pollution monitoring system, coal mines and manhole gas detection system at low cost. The same is extended to develop gas sensors for space missions. There is no space-qualified gas sensor available in the market. IIST is trying to investigate low weight, high-performance nanostructure gas sensor array on a flexible substrate at room temperature where each element of the array will be functionalized by required nanomaterials (metal Oxide with catalyst) to enhance the performance of the sensor. The development has initiated a lot of interest in the Space Sector and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) along with the Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC) has agreed to put three modules of indigenous gas sensors in the upcoming prestigious Gaganyaan Mission as a part of the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS). Dr.Basu and his group are actively involved with HSFC and SAC to develop a QM (Qualified Module) module of Gas sensors for the upcoming Human Space Program. Already material optimisations have completed and all are in packaging stage.
Prototype _1: Optically Activated CO sensors (Version: 1) for Gaganyaan Mission. The same platform has been optimized for CH4 and NH3 sensors. It has been developed in collaboration with URSC (U R Rao Space Application Centre).
Prototype 2: Optically Activated CO, CH4, NH3, and CO2 sensors (Version: 2) for various applications, including an environment monitoring system, manholes, and coal mines applications. The same concept has been extended to develop gas sensors for Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) in the Gaganyyan mission.