Rakesh Sharma meets Ker CM, extend support to proposed space

Cosmonaut Rakesh Sahrma on Thursday met Kerala Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and extended his support to the proposed Kerala Space Park.

The first Indian to travel to space, Sharma, met Vijayan at the Cliff House, the official residence of the Chief Minister, and said Kerala has huge potential in the future of outer space and aerospace areas.

In a release, Vijayan said they discussed about the proposed Space Park which to come up in a sprawling 22 acre site at the TechnoCity at Pallippuram near here.

"The government expects that the presence of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC),ISRO Inertial Systems Unit (IISU) andIndian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) in Thiruvananthapuram will boost the prospects and development of the Kerala Space Park," Vjayan said.

He also expressed hope that the facility could compete in the aerospace market if it was able to manufacture and develop parts and technology required for the aerospace.

The release also said the state government has already signed an initial agreement with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in this regard.

Sharma shared his experiences in space travel with the Chief Minister, it added.

The space park proposed at the Knowledge City here is aimed at attracting global start-ups working in space sector and also developing it as a major manufacturing hub for space-related technology, research and development.