The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) here on Monday kicked off the World Space Week celebrations themed “Women in Space” with a variety of online events and interactive learning activities.
World Space Week consists of space education and outreach events held by space agencies, aerospace companies, schools, planetaria, museums, and astronomy clubs around the world in a common timeframe.
The events of World Space Week stretch from October 4-the launch anniversary of the first human-made Earth satellite, Sputnik 1, in 1957– to October 10, the anniversary of the signing of the Outer Space Treaty in 1967, which governs how to use space, such as the moon and other celestial bodies, peacefully.
Chief Secretary to Kerala government V P Joy inaugurated the celebrations this year and said at a time when people are seen keeping apart logic and approach life from the perspective of superstition, “we need to structure our society with scientific spirit”.
“The view of the universe which science and technology brings to us is very important but within the rational space which we have got, though it may be small, we need to structure our society with a scientific spirit. That’s the whole idea of celebrating space week,” Joy said.
He said at times, in matters of life and society, people are seen keeping away their logic and scientific spirit and approaching life from the perspective of superstition and various other irrational points of view.
“A scientific spirit is important,” he added.
World Space Week is coordinated by the United Nations with the support of the World Space Week Association (WSWA) which leads a global team of National Coordinators, who promote the celebration of World Space Week within their own countries.
S Somanath, the Director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, who delivered the presidential address, asked girl students to pursue their passion and achieve their goals.
Dr. S Geetha, Programme Director, STS at the VSSC, who is also the Chairperson of the steering committee of the World Space Week, welcomed the guests.
LPSC Director Dr V Narayanan and Dr. D Sam Dayala Dev gave felicitations.
There was a special address by Prof. Pascale Ehrenfreund, President, International Astronautical Federation (IAF), President International Space University (ISU).