Hi-tech space museums on cards

“These museums will serve as centres for inculcating scientific temper among the masses by answering all their queries on space science and astronomy,” Mukherjee said.

The exciting world of astronauts, history of space, flight in space and air, launching systems, capability fuels, mission controls and working of communication and remote sensing satellites will be explained with the help of sophisticated hands-on exhibits, he said.

“The museums will contain original space aircraft like full size launch vehicles, satellite components and otherartefacts related to space science and technology,” he said, adding that spacecraft simulation machines will also be put up to provide a feel of an astronaut’s experience in space.

NCSM, an autonomous body under the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development, will have overall control over the proposed space museums, Mukherjee said.

He said a common section in all these museums will be devoted to the Indian contribution to space science over the ages, which has made tremendous progress in recent years.

State-of-the-art space parks linked to these museums containing outdoor exhibits and artefacts are being planned, he said, adding that such parks will also come up in smaller towns.

The ISRO proposal came during the inauguration of the country’s first space gallery by Science and Technology Minister Murli Manohar Joshi at the Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum, Bangalore in June this year, Mukherjee said.