Kochi readying for a tryst with space

BANGALORE/THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: God's Own Country will soon have a space science museum on a prime, 'gifted' piece of land. The PhaseI of this yettobenamed facility will officially go live on Saturday at Pallikkara, near Kochi, which is at striking distance from Veega Land, the water theme park. The museum is jointly developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Indira Rajan, a leading educationist in Kerala.Former President A P J Abdul Kalam will formally launch the construction activities of the museum by unveiling a massive model of PSLV being brought from Bangalore. The 1,800kg model will be up and ready for 'launch' when Kalam makes a touchdown in Kochi a day otherwise celebrated the world over by aviation aficionados as Wright Brothers' Day. It's a sheer coincidence that the new museum is being launched on the same day the Wright Brothers eventually gave wings to humanity with their 12second historic flight on December 17, 1903, at Kitty Hawk.Tipped as a miniversion of the USbased Smithsonian Museum, once fully operational, only the Space Wing is currently being opened from an alreadyexisting structure. "It will be a comprehensive facility which will capture the best of natural and physical science, space and defence. Our aim is to inspire students towards science streams," former ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair said. "We are seeking the support of industries and corporates to make this a mustsee facility in India. In the next few years, we are confident that the museum will eventually grow as a onestopplace that showcases the growth and might of Indian aerospace and defence sectors," Nair said.The DRDO has been entrusted to develop a wing to exhibit its products. "In phases we will have sections for atomic energy, industrial revolution and scientific research. We will also have sections showing live experiments and very natural scientific phenomenon," Nair said.Indira Rajan, head of Minerva Educational Institutions in Kerala and chairperson of the Resul Pookutty Foundation is the Chief Executive Director of the museum. Indira donated prime land in Pallikkara for the museum purely out of her passion for science and technology. "I got the idea after visiting NASA and came back and discussed it with ISRO officials. I'm sure it will inspire students and propel their scientific temper," Indira said.A logo and name-the-museum-contest is currently on for schoolchildren in Kerala. Both will be formally announced soon. "We have also identified an architect with a plan to build some modern structures to house different phases of the museum," Nair said.