Thiruvananthapuram, Eminent aerospace engineer N Jayan has been appointed as the new director of the LPSC, one of the premier centres of the ISRO.

Jayan has played a key role in advancing the country's propulsion technologies through various leadership positions in the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), an official statement issued on Saturday said.

Before being posted as LPSC Director, he served as Associate Director of the Centre, Project Director of the Cryogenic Stage Project, and Project Director of the Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV) Project at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC).

Jayan is widely recognised for leading the indigenous development of the CE20 cryogenic engine that powers the GSLV Mk III (LVM3) launch vehicle, it said.

The successful development of the engine marked a major technological milestone, significantly enhancing India's capability to undertake complex space missions using indigenous technology.

He holds a Bachelor of Technology degree in Mechanical Engineering from the College of Engineering here and an ME in Aerospace Engineering from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, where he graduated with a gold medal.

Jayan has received several honours for his contributions to space science and technology, including the Astronautical Society of India Space Gold Medal and three ISRO Team Awards.

In 2025, he was conferred the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar, the country's highest honour in science, by the President of India in recognition of his outstanding contribution to space research, the statement added.