Indian astronauts across generations unite for ‘Space Meet’ in Bengaluru

The Ministry of Science and Technology announced on Friday that the upcoming ‘Space Meet’ in Bengaluru, scheduled for November 17, will bring together Indian astronauts across generations under one roof.

Jointly organised by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the event will feature experience-sharing sessions by veterans such as Wing Commander Cdr Rakesh Sharma (Retd) and present-day Indian astronaut, Group Captain Prasanth B Nair.

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Underlining the purpose of the meeting, the ministry said, “The event aims to strengthen cooperation between India’s premier scientific and space institutions in advancing human spaceflight research, microgravity studies, and space technology innovations that align with India’s vision for self-reliance in space exploration.”

Scientists, technologists, astronauts, and representatives from national and international organisations are expected to attend the conference, with nearly 200 delegates joining in person and others virtually. Dignitaries such as the Consul General of France in Bengaluru, officials from DRDO, ISRO, IISc, IAF, and experts from the European Space Agency (ESA), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), and the French Space Agency (CNES) will also attend the event, the ministry stated.

The thrust of the one-day summit will be on integrating CSIR’s multidisciplinary research with ISRO’s mission-driven technological needs, covering a range of areas including human spaceflight physiology, biomedical instrumentation, materials science, life sciences in microgravity, and advanced systems for spacecraft maintenance and operation.

The deliberations during the meeting are expected to chart a collaborative roadmap for future human spaceflight missions and identify new avenues for joint R&D in space science and technology, the ministry added.