Dr.N.Kannan, Ph.D.,
Professor/Head, Sona SPEED,
Department of Electrical & Electronics Engineering,
Sona College of Technology, Salem – 636 005. Tamilnadu, India
91 - 427 - 2443545, 4099999 Ext: 4099730
sonaspeed@sonatech.ac.in



ACADEMIC BACKGROUND
Degree Name of the Institute Month & year of passing Main Subjects/
Thesis title
Marks / Grades obtained
Ph.D The International University, Washington DC, USA May 2005 Electrical Engineering N/A
Master of Science Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad September 1986 Electrical Engineering First Class
Bachelor of Engineering PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore, Madras University October 1970 Electrical Engineering First Class
PUC Islamiah College, Vaniambadi, TamilNadu July 1965 Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry & Biology First Class
SSLC Board High School, Nadupatti, Omalur(tk), Salem(Dt), Tamilnadu March 1963 Mathematics, Science, Social studies, English and Tamil First Class

ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL HONORS
  1. Member of IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)
  2. Associate member institution of engineers India, (am. 37489, 1977)
  3. Life member aeronautical society of India, (Member no.lm 0757)

MAJOR POSITIONS HELD AT IISU/ISRO/SCT
  1. Division Head, Spacecraft Inertial Systems Division (SISD)
  2. Deputy Project Director  (DPD), IRS – P4
  3. Deputy Project Director  (DPD), INSAT 3A/3C
  4. Deputy Project Director  (DPD), MEGHA TROPIQUES
  5. Group Director (GD) SISG/IISU
  6. Professor/Centre Head, Sona SPEED, EEE Dept, Sona College of Technology.

WORK EXPERIENCE (Industry, Research and Teaching)
S.No. ORGNISATION / institution TYPE DESIGNATION DURATION OF SERIVCE EXPERIENCE
01 i. SPACE SCIENCE AND TECHONLOGY CENTRE (SSTC)
ii. VIKRAM SARABHAI SPACE CENTRE (VSSC)
iii. ISRO INERTIAL SYSTEM UNIT (IISU)
DEPARTMENT OF SPACE, GOVERNMENT OF INDIA Tech.Asst.’C’
Sci/Engr ‘SC’
Sci/Engr ‘SD’
Sci/Engr ‘SE’
Sci/Engr ‘SF’
Sci/Engr ‘SG”
Sci/Engr ‘G’
1971-1973
1974-1978
1979-1982
1983-1986
1987-1993
1994-1999
2000-2002
31 Years
02 SONA COLLEGE OF TECHNOLGOY (SCT), SALEM PRIVATE COLLEGE Asst.Prof  
Professor
2003 sept  To july 2005 Aug 2005 onwards 2 Years  
TOTAL EXPERIENCE 37 YEARS

Countries Visited on Deputations (ISRO)
  • WEST GERMANY during 1985               - 2nd European symposium
  • RUSSIA during 1988                              - IRS-1A launch
  • FRANCE & GERMANY during 1999        - Magha Tropiques meeting
  • FRANCE (KOUROU) during 2001            - INSAT – 3C launch

SPONSORED RESEARCH PROJECTS
TITLE GRANT RECEIVED SPONSORING AGENCY
  • Design and Development of C25 Quadruplex BLDC Motor
  • Realization of Flight Model of C25 Quadruplex BLDC Motor
10 Lakhs 29 Lakhs Vikram Sarabhai Space Center, ISRO
Vikram Sarabhai Space Center, ISRO
  • Design and Development of Slotless BLDC Motor and Drive Electronics
8 Lakhs ISRO Inertial Systems Unit, ISRO
  • Realization of Flight model of Slotless BLDC motor
  • Design and Development of Limited Angle Torque Motor
11 Lakhs ISRO Inertial Systems Unit, ISRO
  • Design and Development of Permanent magnet stepper motor
16.5 Lakhs Vikram Sarabhai Space Center, ISRO
  • Development of Principle demo models
11 Lakhs ISRO Inertial Systems Unit, ISRO

TECHNICAL/ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT
  1. During the initial period of my joining Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) in 1971, I actively contributed for the design, development and qualification of servo components, mechanisms and actuators for both Launch Vehicle and Spacecraft projects.
  2. I designed, developed and qualified two types of direct drive dc torque motors for the Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), successfully used in SLV & ASLV projects.
  3. I designed, developed and qualified, Two axes permanent magnet dc torquer for the Dynamically Tuned Gyroscope (DTG) used in the Launch Vehicle REdundant Strapdown Inertial Navigation System (RESINS) and spacecraft REdundant Attitude Reference System (REARS) & Inertial Reference Unit (IRU).
  4. I designed, developed and qualified the Uni -directional brush less dc motor and contributed for the overall development of the indigenous momentum wheel for Ariane Passenger PayLoad Experiment (APPLE) project, which has successfully performed, on orbit more than one year for the first time.
  5. I designed, developed and qualified the bi-directional brushless dc motor for the Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellite Reaction Wheel successfully.
  6. I assumed the overall responsibility for the design and development of indigenous Reaction wheel for IRS program and successfully completed the development and qualification in a record period of ONE Year for IRS-1A, saving more than ONE CRORE Foreign exchange for Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellite project.
  7. I configured the Transverse Momentum Wheel (TMW) based on the Reaction wheel design and qualified successfully for Indian National SATellite (INSAT)-2A, 2B spacecrafts.
  8. As Section Head and Project Manager for Reaction Wheel Assembly, I designed, developed, acceptance tested and delivered the Reaction Wheels for IRS-1C, 1D,P2, and P3 projects successfully in addition to the Transverse Momentum Wheels for INSAT-2C, and 2D requirements.
  9. As Acting Head, Spacecraft Inertial Electronics Division (SIED), I managed the development, acceptance testing and export of Four Reaction Wheels and Wheel Drive Electronics to Matra Marconi Space (MMS) France, based on the excellent on-orbit performance of IRS Reaction Wheels.
  10. As Head, Spacecraft Inertial Systems Division (SISD), I managed the development, acceptance testing and delivered INSAT-2E Inertial Reference Unit (IRU), Solar Array Drive Assembly (SADA), Modified Wheel Electronics (WDE) for TELDIX Wheels, Very High Resolution Radiometer (VHRR) and Charge Coupled Device (CCD) Electronics.
  11. As Deputy Project Director (DPD) IRS-P4, I accomplished the development, acceptance tested and delivered the Reaction Wheel Assembly (RWA), Solar Array Drive Assembly (SADA), Inertial Reference Unit (IRU) and Pyro Electronics successfully to the project .Two new developments, the Antenna Scanning Mechanism (ASM) for Multispectral Scanning Microwave Radiometer (MSMR) and the Tilt Mechanism Electronics (TME) with stepper motor for Ocean Colour Monitor (OCM) payload were configured, designed, developed and qualified for IRS-P4 successfully .
  12. The Flight models of ASM and TME were realized, tested and delivered to the project successfully. The ASM life test model has successfully completed more than three years accelerated life under vacuum as per the project requirement and the performance were normal.
  13. As Deputy Project Director (DPD), INSAT-3A and 3C, I finalized the configuration and specification of the Inertial systems-IRU, WDE, SADA,VHRR and CCD Electronics and prepared the summary configuration document, Declared Components List (DCL) and the configuration Control Document and Preliminary Design Review (PDR) completed successfully. The development, testing and delivery plan of the INSAT-3A inertial systems was finalized and implemented.
  14. Under Technology Development Program (TDP) the Two axes Magnetically Suspended Reaction Wheel (MSRW) development was successfully completed, demonstrating more than SIX deg/sec slew rate capability at 5nms angular momentum capacity. The MSRW has undergone successfully all environmental tests. Co-authored Technical papers published in the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) symposium.
  15. I guided the design, development and qualified the stepper motor and two types of Limited Angle Torquer (LAT) for INSAT Solar Array Drive and Scan Mirror Mechanism (SMM) applications. Co-authored Technical papers published in IEEE symposium.
  16. I have significantly contributed in the analysis and brain storming discussions with experts and the numerous experiments conducted to finalize the INSAT Momentum Wheel, bearing unit lubrication system, designed for 12 to 15 years life. The performance during the initial 500 hours run-in shows good consistency.
  17. Apart from meeting the on-going project requirements, the technology development in order to achieve better performance of Inertial systems, with longer life, minimum power and mass by miniaturization and HMC development for future ISRO missions was initiated in the division.
  18. The Inertial systems development proposal for the Small Satellite Systems (SSS) and the high torque reaction wheel for CARTOSAT were configured for the future ISRO missions.
  19. As a member in the Inertial System Review Board ISRB), I actively contributed for the review and analysis of anomalies in the inertial systems area noticed during the test and evaluation and on-orbit functioning of IRS & INSAT Spacecrafts.
  20. As a member of the ISRO-CNES Agency Group (ICAG) for the MADRAS payload, participated in the technical discussions at ISRO Head quarters and Space Applications center (SAC) Ahmedabad. The Mechanisms for MADRAS payload for CNES-TROPIQUES missions shall be developed by IISU-ISRO as part of sharing responsibilities, based on the successful development and qualification of ASM for MSMR for IRS-P4.
  21. From September 2003, working as Assistant Professor at Sona College of Technology, Salem –636005, and teaching Control Systems for under graduate in the Electrical Engineering Department.
  22. As In charge for Research and Development activities in the EEE department of SONA COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY, SALEM, I am working on developing models for reaction wheel and Gyroscope principle demonstration for ISRO through an Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) with ISRO Inertial Systems Unit, Trivandrum, at a cost of Rs.10 lakhs
  23. Director, ISRO Satellite Centre as a design review committee member for ASTROSAT spacecraft, nominates me.
  24. I am in the process of finalizing another MOU with Vikram Sarabai Space Centre for design and development of Brush less DC torque motor for Launch Vehicle applications.
  25. Reaction wheel models with sufficient unbalance 3Nos at the cost of Rs. 3 lakhs is designed developed and delivered to Structures Group, ISRO Satellite Centre, Bangalore, for vibration isolated evaluation test setup.

PROJECT REPORTS
  1. Qualification and acceptance requirements for indigenous torquers for use in IMU MK – 1,No VSSC – IMU – QR – TQR  - 002/78.
  2. Interim report on brush less DC motor development for momentum wheel, No: VSSC – ISI – APPLE – 07/78.
  3. Requalification and acceptance requirements for torquer type 32TD3001 for use in IMU MK- 1, No: VSSC- ISI – TR – 54/81.
  4. Specification and qualification test results of torquer 32TD3001 No: VSSC – ISI – TR – 56/81.
  5. Design of permanent magnet torquer for dynamically tuned gyroscope used in strap down inertial systems. No: VSSC – TR - 042/82.
  6. Development of reaction wheel assembly for Indian remote Sensing (IRS) satellite project, No: VSSC – TR – 036/82.
  7. Design report on ironless armature brush less DC motor for reaction wheel assembly, No: VSSC-ISI – TR – 75/82.
  8. Design report on reaction wheel assembly for IRS satellite No: VSSC – IRS – TR –10/83.
  9. Design report on momentum wheel assembly for SROSS programme. No: VSSC/SROSS/5200 – 7/01-83.
  10. Design and development of a brush less DC motor for space applications, MS thesis. 1985.
  11. Reaction wheel assembly – critical design review document, No: VSSC – IRS – TR – 116/86.
  12. Project report on development of magnetically suspended reaction wheel assembly No: IISU – TR – 279/93.
  13. Design and development of brush less DC limited angle torquer for INSAT – III scan mirror mechanism, No: IISU – TR – 302 – 93.
  14. Design document on magnetic suspension reaction wheel No: IISU – TR – 50 – 97.
  15. PDR document on inertial systems for INSAT – 3A spacecraft No: IISU –TR- 54/98.
  16. Base line design document on MADRAS mechanism and inertial systems No: ISRU – IISU – MT – TR – 12 – 2001.

PAPER PUBLISHED
  1. Drive motor for momentum wheel for APPLE spacecraft INSA Symposium – Servo System, VSSC, and Feb.1980 – Author. 
  2. Momentum wheel for APPLE spacecraft, Journal of Aeronautical Society of India, Vol 35 No. 3-4, AUG – NOV 1983 – Coauthor.
  3. Design and development of brush less DC motor for space applications, second European space mechanisms and tribology symposium, 1985 – Author.
  4. An optimized module type HYBRID stepper motor for spacecraft solar array drive, IEEE symposium, 1997.
  5. Brush less DC motor for Antenna scanning mechanism eighth European conference on power electronics and applications, 1999 - Coauthor.
  6. Magnetically suspended reaction wheel for spacecraft attitude control, INSA Symposium, VSSC 2000 - Coauthor.