The Hindu : National : Global space meet from Monday

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Friday, Sep 21, 2007
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Global space meet from Monday

Y. Mallikarjun

2,000 delegates from 45 countries will attend the five-day event in Hyderabad
Sunita Williams to deliver two lectures,
Kalam to interact with students

HYDERABAD: Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Prithviraj Chavan will inaugurate the 58th International Astronautical Congress (IAC-2007) here on September 24. It will be attended by the heads of leading space agencies and a galaxy of professionals, including Indian-American astronaut Sunita Williams.

The congress is being organised by the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) in association with the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) and the International Institute of Space Law (IISL) and hosted by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Astronautical Society of India (ASI).

Chairman of the national planning committee B.N. Suresh and IAF president James Zimmerman told journalists that 2,000 delegates from 45 countries would attend the five-day congress, which would focus on the growing use of space technology to improve the life of the mankind. Its theme would be “Touching Humanity: Space for Improving Quality of Life.”

The former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam would deliver a special lecture and participate in an interactive session with 1,200 students from 35 schools from Hyderabad.

Representatives of global aerospace industries, including Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Great Wall Industries Corporation of China would participate in an international space exhibition, to be organised along with IAC-2007. It would provide business-to-business and business-to-customer opportunities for many of the “new actors in the space industry,” said K.R. Sridhara Murthy, Executive Director, Antrix Corporation.

Delegates from international space agencies, the global space industry, academicians and students would deliberate on a gamut of activities, including future plans with focus on societal benefits. As many as 125 technical sessions, four highlight lectures and seven plenary events would be held.

Dr. Suresh said the ISRO proposed to hold bilateral meets with representatives of space agencies during the congress. He said 250 young professionals from abroad and 50 students from India would participate.

“History of 50 years of space: A global perspective” would be one of the important sessions as 2007 marks the golden jubilee year of the launch of the first artificial satellite of the earth — the Sputnik-1. It also happens to be the 50th and 40th anniversaries of the International Geophysical Year and the Outer Space Treaty.

According to M.Y.S. Prasad, Deputy Director, Space Applications Centre, Ahmedabad, use of telemedicine would be demonstrated with cardiologists from Narayana Hrudayalaya and a hospital in Austria discussing case studies.

Sunita Williams would deliver two lectures — on the technical aspects of the International Space Station and her personal experiences in space.

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