NEW DELHI: Indian Space Research Organisation ( Isro ) has decided to set up space museums across the country, including Delhi and Thiruvananthapuram, to educate and inform the masses about space technologies and advancement in the space sector.

Talking to TOI, Isro chairman K Sivan said, “We had recently discussed a proposal with the Kerala government to set up a space museum in Thiruvananthapuram. The state government responded positively to our plan and even allocated land for the purpose.” Sivan said he also held talks on the proposed Dr Kalam Knowledge Centre, named after former President A P J Abdul Kalam, in the Kerala capital under the space museum programme.

He said, “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 Thiruvananthapuram. 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, and also organise different programmes in order to educate and inform people about space technologies”.

The Kerala government’s proposed space tech park aims to act as a hub for manufacturing of small satellites and rocket equipment. Having a tech park near Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), the key Isro centre that specialises in manufacturing of rockets like GSLV and PSLV, will give the space agency the advantage of having easy and greater access to rockets being produced in the park.

The proposed park will also help Isro promote R&D in space technologies. The space agency currently has around 20 space centres across the country that specialise in different areas of space technologies. As reported by TOI earlier, Isro is also busy setting up six incubation centres and the same number of research centres across the country in a year in an attempt to expand its base and give a platform to youth interested in space research.

