The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Students excited by Space Expo

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 26, 2007
ePaper

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Students excited by Space Expo

Space hardware, models of Cartosat one and two on display at ISRO stall

- Photo: P.V. Sivakumar

Sophisticated exhibition: Model of a futuristic spacecraft on display at the Space Expo of the 58th International Astronautical Congress. (Right) Young space scientists in close interaction at the expo in Hyderabad on Tuesday.

HYDERABAD: “I am very excited. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experi- ence the vast field of space science,” said K. Shashank, a second year engineering student after going through the stalls at the International Space Expo where leading aerospace players are showcasing their products and technological advances.

Studying “mechatronics” at the Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Technology on Hyderabad’s outskirts, he said he was greatly impressed to see ISRO’s original Space Recovery Experiment capsule which splashed into the ocean on January 22, 2007. “Not only have I seen the technological capabilities of other space agencies but also learnt how India’s launch capabilities are increasing as GSLV Mark-III is planned next to carry payloads of up to four tonnes”. Apart from SRE, the ISRO stall exhibited a wide range of tested space hardware and models of Cartosat one and two. Equally impressed was Sangmin Lee, a 10th standard Korean student from an international school in the city.

She said her knowledge about the functioning of satellites and rockets had improved after visiting the expo. Another Italian student said she was highly impressed by the stall put up by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).One of the interesting models at JAXA pavilion depicted the agency’s Japanese experiment module ‘Kibo’ which is scheduled to carry three portions to the International Space Station, starting from February next. Kibo’s is Japan’s first manned facility where astronauts would conduct experiments for a long period.

Huge replicas of GSLV and PSLV are on display near the entrance to the exhibition. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Arianespace, British Interplanetary Society, British National Space Centre, Boeing Company, EADS Astrium, CNES of France, DLR of Germany, International Space University and the DRDO are among those participating in the expo.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail