Now, ISRO plans to set up space museums across country

New Delhi, Nov 26: In a bid to educate and inform the masses about space technologies, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has decided to set up space museums across the country, including New Delhi.

ISRO chief Sivan had recently visited Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at his office and held discussion on the proposed Dr Kalam Knowledge Centre and Aerospace Park.

Both projects, planned in the state capital, are envisaged as a joint venture of the state government and the space agency.

Sivan informed the chief minister that the procedures regarding the Aerospace Park, coming up at Kinfra Park in nearby Kazhakkottom, would be completed within a month toink the Memorandum of Understanding.

He also requested the government to help in getting official clearances for the proposed Kalam Knowledge Centre, named after former President Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, at Kowdiar here.

"I had recently met Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan to hand over a cheque of 2.7 crore collected as flood relief from ISRO employees. During the meeting, the CM put forth a proposal for setting up a space technology park in Thiruvananthapura.We are now studying their proposal."He said the "museums that will come up across the country will put on display satellites, rockets and models of various space assets," Sivan told ToI.

The space agency currently has around 20 space centres across the country that specialise in different areas of space technologies.

ISRO had earlier announced that it will launch a TV channel to promote scientific temper among people and conduct training camps for school students. To be named "ISRO TV", the channel will telecast science programmes and highlight the benefits of the space agency's missions in regional languages as well as English, so that it reaches people across the country.

The space agency will select students and organise training camps for 25 to 30 days, he said, adding during this period the students will be allowed to visit the laboratory and make small satellites.

Besides this, ISRO was planning to set up an incubation centre for startups with ideas in the field of space technology.