THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate this year’s World Space Week (WSW) celebrations organised by the ISRO units at the Kanakakkunnu Palace on Wednesday. The event is being jointly organised by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), the ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC, Mahendragiri) and the ISRO Inertial Systems Unit (IISU).
VSSC director K Sivan will preside over the function scheduled to begin at 12.30 pm. WSW commemorates two events; the launch of Sputnik 1, the first human-made satellite, on October 4, 1957; and the signing of the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, on October 10, 1967.
The UN General Assembly declared that WSW will be held every year from October 4 to 10 in 1999. Mayor V K Prasanth, Shashi Tharoor MP, K Muraleedharan MLA, LPSC director S Somanath, IPRC director S Pandian, IISU director D Sam Dayala Dev and VSSC chief controller Biju Jacob will speak at the inaugural function. The ISRO units are celebrating the occasion with various events including contests for school children.