World Space Week Celebrations 2013

World Space Week (WSW) is the largest public space event on Earth celebrated by more than 65 nations during 04- 10 October every year since 1999 under the declaration on United Nations. The launch of first human made Earth satellite Sputnik on October 4, 1957 and signing of the International Outer space treaty by United Nations on October 10, 1967 marks the celebrations. The theme for current year program is “Exploring Mars and Discovering Earth.”

National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) in Hyderabad in association with Hyderabad Chapters of the Indian Society of Remote Sensing (ISRS) and the Indian National Cartographic Association (INCA) conducted one day program on 10.10.2013 for the benefit of school children from twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. This event also coincides with the 25 years of Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) program which was celebrated by the different Chapters of ISRS all over the country. The event was attended by nearly 350 children and teachers from 14 different schools in the twin cities. In his welcome address Dr V Raghavswamy Chairman ISRS-HC talked about the importance and need of such awareness programs which was formally inaugurated by Sri D S Jain, Dy. Director, Satellite Data Acquisition, and Processing & Service Area who briefly touched upon ISRO and NRSC activities. Dr Samudraiah, Vice President ISRS who graced occasion inspired children to utilize such occasion for their benefit and wished them to become future space scientists and technologists. Dr C B S Dutt, Dr V V Rao from NRSC, Dr G Venkata Narayana from VSSC and Dr N Srinivas from INCOIS delivered lectures.

There was also a session exclusively earmarked for the question answers session. This session was made interesting and informative with a panel chaired by Dr C B S Dutt along with all speakers and Dr R Nagaraja, Chairman INCA–HC. Nearly 30 questions were screened from 240 responses from the children which were answered by panelist. The program ended with a formal vote of thanks by Dr Reghunatha Menon K P, Secretary ISRS-HC.