Leading rocket scientist S Somnath is the new chairman of India’s Space Research Organization ISRO. Somnath, who led the rocket launch project of ISRO’s Chandrayaan-2 mission, has been appointed secretary of the Union Ministry of Space Science and chairman of the country’s space commission for three years. News of Somnath’s new responsibilities was announced by the central government on Wednesday.

Somnath, who has been the director of ISRO’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Center (VSSC) since January 2016, replaces ISRO chairman K Shivan. Somnath, one of the pioneers in building India’s most powerful rocket GSLV-Mark-3 and its predecessor Rocket Polar Launch Satellite Vehicles (PSLV), has been instrumental in various ISRO space missions.

PSLV is currently one of the best tools for launching small satellites into Earth orbit from around the world.

After graduating in Mechanical Engineering from TKM College of Engineering in Kollam, Kerala, Somnath did his Masters in Aerospace Engineering from the Indian Institute of Science (IISC), Bangalore. He then joined ISRO’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Center in 1985.

From 2010 to 2014, Somnath was in charge of the GSLV-Mark-3 rocket project. Until November 2014, Somnath was the Deputy Director of VSSC’s Structures Unit and Propulsion and Space Ordinance Unit.