Open House at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre – Curtain Raiser for National Space Day

📍 Venue: Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala

  • Event: Open House organised as a curtain raiser to National Space Day.
  • Participation: 5,000+ students and members of the public.

Key Highlight – Special Rocket Launch

  • Rocket: RH-200 (Rohini-200)→ small sounding rocket.
    • Diameter: 200 mm.
    • Launch Pad: VSSC Thumba, 11:45 am.
    • Stages: Two-stage rocket (public viewed till the 2nd stage burnout).
  • Special Feature:
    • Chaffs (wind study objects) ejected up to 65 km altitude.
    • Purpose: Drift with wind → tracked by radars → used for wind assessment, weather prediction, and atmospheric studies.

National Space Day Celebrations

  • School programmes in ~600 schools across Kerala.
  • Aimed at popularising space science and technology among youth.

Key Facts for Prelims

  • RH-200: Part of the Rohini sounding rocket series, launched regularly for atmospheric and meteorological studies.
  • VSSC: ISRO’s lead centre for launch vehicle development.
  • Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) → historic site for India’s first sounding rocket launches.


    Updated :  August 19, 2025 2:25 PM | News On Air