ISRO Unveils FEAST 2025 Software at IIT Hyderabad

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has introduced the latest version of its structural analysis software, Finite Element Analysis of Structures (FEAST) 2025, at the 8th National Finite Element Developers’/FEAST Users’ Meet (NAFED08) held at IIT Hyderabad. The event, organized in collaboration with Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), brought together over 250 experts from academia, industry, and research institutions to discuss advancements in finite element-based structural analysis.

What is FEAST and Why is it Important?

FEAST is an indigenous finite element analysis (FEA) software developed by ISRO’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC). It is designed to predict how structures react to real-world forces like stress, strain, and temperature variations. Until now, Indian industries and research institutions had to rely on costly foreign software for structural analysis. With FEAST, ISRO is providing a made-in-India, customizable, and cost-effective solution, particularly beneficial for students, researchers, and industries.

According to WION News, FEAST has been made available to academia at a much lower price than its international counterparts, ensuring that Indian institutions can access high-quality engineering software without heavy financial constraints.

Where is FEAST Used in ISRO’s Major Missions?

FEAST plays a key role in ISRO’s high-profile space missions. ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan highlighted in his address that the software has been used in structural design analysis for projects such as:

• Gaganyaan Human Spaceflight Mission – India’s ambitious manned space mission.
• Bharatiya Antariksh Station – The proposed Indian space station.
• Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV) – The future of India’s launch vehicle technology.

With these upcoming projects, FEAST is set to contribute significantly to India’s growing space and engineering sector.

How Accessible is FEAST for Users?

ISRO has progressively upgraded FEAST, issuing over 4,000 licenses to different institutions and industries. The software is compatible with both Windows and Linux, ensuring widespread usability even on systems with minimal hardware.

FEAST is offered in three versions to cater to different user needs:

1. Academic Version – For students and educational institutions.
2. Premium Version – For small and medium-scale industries.
3. Professional Version – For large-scale industries and research institutions.

Additionally, a free trial version is available on the official ISRO/VSSC website, allowing users to explore its features before adopting it fully.

What Initiatives is ISRO Taking to Educate Users?

To make FEAST more accessible, ISRO has published a book titled “Introduction to Finite Element Analysis”. The book has been written by experts from VSSC and the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) and edited by ISRO Chairman Dr. S. Somanath and VSSC Director Dr. S. Unnikrishnan Nair.

This book simplifies Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and is meant for:

• Undergraduate engineering students looking to learn the basics.
• Practicing engineers who want to apply FEA in real-world scenarios.

It includes step-by-step explanations, tutorials, and solved examples to help users understand the software easily.

What’s Next? ISRO’s Plans for Engineering Software Development

During the event, VSSC Director Dr. S. Unnikrishnan Nair announced another upcoming software project—Pravaha, an indigenous computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software. Pravaha is expected to enhance ISRO’s capabilities in fluid flow simulations and further promote self-reliance in engineering software.

With events like NAFED08, ISRO is not only promoting advanced engineering technologies but also strengthening India’s position in the global software and space industry. By making high-quality, indigenous engineering tools more accessible, ISRO continues to push the boundaries of research, innovation, and self-reliance in India’s technological ecosystem.

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