Prem Shankar Goel was born on 20 April 1947 in village Dhabarsi. Distt. Moradabad, UP.  He did B.E. in Electrical Engineering from University of Jodhpur, M.E. in Applied Electronics and Servomechanism from Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and Ph.D from Bangalore University.  He started his career with initiating activity on Satellite Attitude Control System for spinning RS-1 Satellite at Trivandrum and later moved to Bangalore as part of Arya Bhata Project team.  He developed spin Axis orientation system Bhaskara I & II satellites, Magnetic control for spinning Rohini series satellites, momentum biased 3-axis control system for APPLE, zero momentum biased 3-axis control system for IRS. V configuration momentum biased Attitude Control System for highly stabilized INSAT-2.  He developed very agile control system with step and stare capability for spot imaging mission TES and guided the evolution of re-entry capability for SRE Mission.

Dr. Goel contributed significantly to the mission planning for remote sensing, communication and scientific missions and authored over hundred research papers in referred journals and conferences.  Dr. Goel was Chairman, Spacecraft System Advisory Board for IRS-1, Project engineer AOCS for APPLE and Associate Project Director, INSAT-II.  He was Head Control System Division, Group Director AOCS, Deputy Director Mission and Control Area, Associate Director of ISRO Satellite Centre(ISAC) and was Director ISAC  from 1997 to 2005.

Dr. Goel moved to Delhi as Secretary, Department of Ocean Development and transformed it into Ministry of Earth Sciences by integrating Ocean, Atmosphere and Geo Science and Technologies.  He was the first Chairman of Earth Commission. He oversaw commissioning of Tsunami Warning System of India. initiated the modernization of IMD and pursued exploration of deep oceans.

Dr. Goel  was chairman RAC,DRDO and  member of National Security advisory Board. He was President of Indian National Academy of Engineering and Dr. Vikram Sarabhai Distinguished Professor of ISRO. He was DRDO Chair at RCI/ DRDO Hyderabad, pursuing space for National Security.

Dr. Goel was awarded Padma Shree in 2001.  He received several other awards including Life Time Achievement Award of the Aeronautical Society of India and Distinguished Scientist Award of ISRO.  He is fellow of Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore, National Academy of Sciences, Allahabad; Indian National Science Academy (INSA), New Delhi; Institution of Electronic & Telecommunication Engineers, New Delhi; Aeronautical Society of India, Bangalore and Third World Academy of Sciences.  He is Honorary Fellow, Electrochemical Society of India, Bangalore and Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai.  He is also Member, International Academy of Astronautics, Paris.

Currently, Dr. Goel is Dr. Raja Ramanna Chair Professor at NIAS, Honorary Distinguished Professor at ISRO HQ and is chairing Technology Research Board (TRB) at Ministry of Earth Sciences.