Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Dec 10: Not everyone gets the opportunity to see the satellites and rockets of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) up close. However, with the intention of providing complete information to the public, models of ISRO’s satellites and rockets will soon be on display at Pilikula.

Significant preparations are underway through the Regional Science Centre located near the Dr Shivaram Karanth Biological Park at Pilikula. A new centre is set to be launched in the building adjacent to Pilikula’s 3D planetarium.

Here, visitors will be introduced to the wonders of space and astronomy through satellite-based explorations, insights into rocket launch planning and processes, and overviews of scientific discoveries made by ISRO and other organisations in space.

This gallery, which will showcase ISRO’s activities, rocket launch procedures, satellite movements, and a comprehensive range of space-related wonders, has been named the Prof U R Rao Space Gallery. The gallery carries the name in honour of Prof U R Rao, who hailed from the coastal region and made remarkable contributions as ISRO Chairman. With this gesture, his legacy is set to remain permanent, and ISRO is expected to extend necessary support for the initiative.

For the total project cost of this gallery, Rs 5.43 crore has been sanctioned by Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL). The Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum (VITM), Bengaluru, will design the project. The gallery will include displays of models provided by ISRO. Agreements between the three institutions have already been finalised, and partial funds have been released.

At the building near the Swami Vivekananda Planetarium in Pilikula, models of ISRO’s satellites and launch vehicles will be exhibited, offering visitors insights into space and astronomical sciences. For this purpose, ISRO has provided 25 satellite and launch vehicle models to the Regional Science Centre in Pilikula. Initial work has already begun, and the project is expected to be completed in the coming months. The gallery aims to foster scientific curiosity among the public and students, while also providing general awareness about ISRO’s achievements.

The Prof U R Rao Space Gallery will include images, videos, and displays related to satellites and rockets, along with models provided by ISRO and prepared by VITM. The gallery will be equipped with extensive facilities required for the exhibition, including animations, software, graphics, and other visual aids that make complex concepts easy for visitors to understand. Information on ISRO’s major milestones — including Chandrayaan, Mangalyaan, and other ground-breaking missions — will also be available at the gallery.