Come, visit VSSC during space week from October 4

Thiruvananthapuram: VSSC will be opened for the common man from October 5 as part of World Space Week  2017. There will be various programmes related to World Space Week at VSSC here. “There will be  Open House programmes which will be conducted on October 4, 5 and 6 during which public will be allowed to enter the campus to witness the RH-200 launch and visit the Space Museum. Familarisation programmes will be held on October 5 besides worshop for special students, open innovative contest for engineering, science and for medical college students. There will also be a Space Expo,” said an official.

World Space Week is an international annual celebration of space science and technology, observed during the week from October 4 to 10. The week long celebrations are coordinated by UN with the support of Space Week International Association and local coordinators in various countries, based on a theme declared by World Space Week Association (WSWA), every year. The World Space Week 2017 will be inaugurated in Thiruvananthapuram by Chief  Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at Kanakakkunnu palace on October 4 at 12 noon  and there will be an  interactive programme for school students with eminent Space Scientists," said the official.

In Kerala, World Space Week is celebrated every year under the auspices of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), and ISRO Inertial Systems Unit (IISU), Thiruvananthapuram, since 2001, he added. During WSW, events and educational programmes with special focus on Space are organised within and outside VSSC, based on the theme declared by UN. For online registration visit wsweek.vssc.gov.in. The theme of World Space Week 2017 "Exploring New Worlds in Space", is a forward looking theme that serves to inspire the World. The prime focus is on astrobiology missions like New Horizons, Engineering marvels like Lockheed Martin's Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle and revolutionary space technology projects such as Space X.

It also gives emphasis on other entities with a vision for exploration and utilisation of extraterrestrial resources., such as metals from meteoroids &asteroids, water from the Moon, and unlimited solar energy in Earth orbit. The broad goals of World Space Week Celebrations are they Provide unique leverage in space outreach and education, Educate people around the world about the benefits that they receive from space, Encourage greater use of space for sustainable economic development, demonstrate public support for space programs, excite young people about science, technology, engineering, and math, Foster international cooperation in space outreach and education.