VELLORE: Minister for Higher Education, KP Anbalagan, urged the scientists and researchers to expand their research in key sectors like agriculture, fisheries, and animal husbandry. Addressing the National Space Challenge 2020 organised by National Design and Research Forum (NDRF) at VIT here on Sunday, Anbalagan said that researchers should engage in research that arise out of social needs, frame methods to maintain hygiene and conserve environment to enhance the standard of living of the people.
The Minister added that developments in science and technology are inter-related with the growth of higher education.The national payload design contest for school students between class VIII and XII was announced in August 2019. It is an initiative to provide them the opportunity to design and launch their payloads to near space, a press release noted.
Students were encouraged to propose innovative payload ideas with the condition that the payload should weigh less than 50 grams and fit inside a 3.8 x 3.8 x 3.8 cm cube. Student teams from about 250 schools across India participated in the initial round of the contest in which the NDRF selected 12 teams from Tamilnadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Bihar, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh and Goa for the launch on Sunday.
Twelve payloads were launched to the near space using a helium balloon. The balloon is expected to reach an altitude of 20 kilometres. A control centre is set up at VIT to track the satellite in real time. Space Kidz India mentored the students in building their payloads for the launch.
Briefing the contest, Chairman of NDRF and Vice President of Tamilnadu State Council for Science and Technology, Dr Mylswami Annadurai said, “We have to imbibe higher level of interest about space technology among school students as India has been emerging as a power hub for space technology.”VIT Chancellor - G Viswanathan, Vice President - Sankar Viswanathan, and Srimathi Kesan - Founder of Space Kidz India were present during the occasion.