When the lunar lander Vikram touched down near the south pole of the Moon on August 23, 2023, it was a momentous day for the Indian Space Research Organization (IRSO). Not only was India now one of the few nations with a successful lunar mission — and the first to land a spacecraft in the challenging terrain surrounding the Moon’s south pole — but the mission also represented a daring comeback after a software glitch resulted in a crash landing during the country’s previous lunar mission. On October 9, aerospace engineer Sreedhara Somanath will be leading a seminar at The Robert Mehrabian College of Engineering, where he will discuss the resilience involved in the Chandrayaan-3 mission, which he led as IRSO chairman, and the growing technological strength of India as a whole.
“It is a distinct honor to host Dr. Somanath at UCSB,” said Umesh Mishra, dean of The Robert Mehrabian College of Engineering. “Dr. Somanath's life story and his management of the India Space Research Organization to its renowned successes are not only celebratory but also highly inspirational and educational. We, as UCSB faculty, students, staff and well wishers of UCSB are fortunate to have him visit and share his story with us. I encourage you all to attend his seminar and leave feeling uplifted.”
The seminar, Coming Back from Failure: Chandrayaan-3 and the Rise of India’s Engineering Prowess, “is both an opportunity to share India’s remarkable journey in space exploration and to explore deeper collaborations between Indian and U.S. institutions in education and research,” Somanath said. “Following the setback of Chandrayaan-2, India’s scientific community refined systems, strengthened processes, and transformed lessons learned into a landmark achievement. I will share both the human and technical dimensions of that journey — how design margins, testing philosophy, systems engineering, and organizational learning turned failure into capability.”
Along with discussing lunar exploration, Somanath will highlight the rapid advancement of India’s engineering and technological capabilities. In June 2025, Somanath became the chancellor of Chanakya University, an institution that he cited as one example of many that are incubators for the innovation and collaboration in India that will have global impact. “I see immense value in creating partnerships with U.S. universities through joint research, student exchanges, and shared innovation,” he said.
Somanath received a master’s degree in aerospace engineering from Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, with a specialization in dynamics and control, and a PhD in mechanical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras. Known as an expert in launch vehicle design, his work leading to the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission was recognized by the International Astronautical Federation in October 2024.
His seminar, which will take place in Henley Hall 1010 at 11 a.m. on October 9, will be an opportunity for attendees to learn more about the mission and recent technological advancements in India. Somanath, in turn, welcomes the opportunity to learn more about research and opportunities at UCSB. “UCSB’s College of Engineering is highly regarded internationally, particularly in fields like materials science, electronics, and computing. I have had the pleasure of interacting with some of its faculty and students over the years, and I am impressed by their passion and research depth,” he said. “I look forward to learning more during my visit and exploring areas where our shared interests—especially in advanced technologies and higher education reform—can lead to collaboration.”
The soft lunar touchdown of Vikram in 2023 “was a deeply humbling and proud moment, not just for me personally, but for the entire team at ISRO and the people of India,” Somanath said. “The successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 after the setback of Chandrayaan-2 proved that resilience and determination can turn adversity into triumph.”
