7th convocation of IIST held

With just over a week left for the launch, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) plans to move the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk-III bearing the Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft to the launchpad at Sriharikota this weekend, ISRO chairman K. Sivan has said.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of the seventh convocation of the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) here on Friday, he said the Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft had been integrated with the launch vehicle.

“The vehicle will be moved to the launchpad either tomorrow (Saturday) or day after (Sunday),” he said.

The ISRO is planning a July 15 lift-off for the mission. The final mission readiness review would be conducted two days before the launch, Dr. Sivan said. “Everything is going according to the plan,” he added.

With Chandrayaan-2, the ISRO is going to a place where no one has ventured before — the south pole of the moon. “The global scientific community will benefit only if we take that risk. Risks and benefits are linked,” Dr. Sivan said, addressing the convocation.

Degrees awarded

A total of 225 degrees, including 112 BTech, 71 MTech and 12 PhD, were awarded at the seventh IIST convocation. IIST Chancellor B.N. Suresh presided.

Delivering the convocation address, Ajay Mathur, director general, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), urged the space sector to take up the challenge of developing affordable electricity storage, through which electricity generated in daytime could be stored for use at night.