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DOS has attached considerable importance to create awareness among the general public about the progress made under the Indian space programme as well as the benefits that have accrued from the programme. Media releases on important events, organisation of exhibitions, publications and educational activities are the means adopted for the space programme publicity. Publicity Through Media The launch of EDUSAT by GSLV on September 20, 2004, received a wide coverage both in the national and international press. All the leading newspapers carried editorials on the launch. The launch was telecast live. Arrangements were made for the media from Chennai, Nellore and Tirupati as well as Sullurpetta in Nellore district to witness the launch from Satish Dhawan Space Centre. Background material was provided to the press and post launch press conference was held to brief the media on the performance of GSLV. Arrangements for the media were made during the India-United States Conference on Space Science, Applications and Commerce held at Bangalore in June 2004. Pre-conference press meet, daily press releases and post conference press meets were organised during this important conference. Media was also invited for important events like plenary sessions and the concluding session of the conference. There was a positive coverage for the conference in all the newspapers and magazines. Besides media coverages on specific events of importance, several articles have appeared in national and international journals about the Indian space programme. The Aviation Week and Space Technology published from Washington carried a cover page article on India's prolific space programme in its November 22 nd issue highlighting the success of the programme. The National Conference on EDUSAT conducted in Bangalore during July 23, 2004, the inauguration of the first cluster of Village Resource Centres in Tamil Nadu in October 2004 and Airdrop Test on Space capsule Recovery Experiment in August 2004 also received coverage. Several interviews for the media were arranged to publicise the space programme. As part of educating the media on the space programme, a team of journalists from Sullurpetta was invited to visit the ISRO facilities at Bangalore and Hassan during the year. Media workshops were also conducted as part of the World Space Week at Satish Dhawan Space Centre and Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre. Exhibitions During the year, DOS organised 12 exhibitions at important congregations to attract maximum attention. Cultural festivals, national and international conferences related to space and and events at academic institutions are the fora selected for organising the exhibitions. DOS actively participated in the 55 th International Astronautical Congress at Vancouver, Canada, in October 2004. The exhibition "India in Space" attracted worldwide attention. ISRO organised an exhibition during the India-US conference which had the participation of international space agencies.
ISRO actively participated in the Vigyan Rail Project of the Vigyan Prasar, Department of Science and Technology. The duration of the Vigyan Rail was extended by four months from August to December in view of its popularity and the need to cover more places in the country. DOS had taken one full coach for its displays with a view to explain the nuances of space technology besides projecting its achievements. The permanent exhibitions at VSSC, SAC and ISAC continued to attract a number of visitors. The Space Museum at VSSC is being refurbished to make it more attractive and educative for the visiting public. Models of spacecraft and launch vehicles as well as displays were provided to various schools and colleges on loan basis for display during science exhibitions organised by these institutions. Exhibitions were also organised in association with NGOs like Rotary Club in various places. Along with these exhibitions, events like space quiz and space seminars were organised in Mangalore and Kundapur in Karnataka and Badagara in Kerala. Publications Publication of the quarterly journal Space India both in Hindi and English has continued to keep the public aware of the progress on the Indian space programme. Private authors are also being encouraged to publish books on space programme. Publicity materials such as posters, stickers, paper models, etc., have been brought out during the year on important events.
General
The World Space Week was celebrated with great enthusiasm in DOS Centres during October 4-10, 2004. The programmes at VSSC, Thiruvanant-hapuram, included space quiz, debates, special lectures, video shows and media workshops. A special exhibition "India in Space" was organised at Calicut in Kerala. At ISRO Headquarters and ISAC, Bangalore, special lectures were organised. SAC, Ahmedabad, organised an exhibition during the week and a programme, "Face-to-Face", which allowed the student community to talk to the space scientists on various aspects was also held. Essay competition for college students and space model making for school students and special public lectures were also part of the World Space Week at SAC. SDSC SHAR had organised meetings between technologists and the employees, student programmes like essay writing, debate and painting and a panel discussion on space programme for a television channel. MCF, Hassan arranged model-making and elocution competitions for students and special lectures.
On the National Science Day on February 28, DOS Centres observed open house wherein the visitors were allowed to see the Centres. Several competitions like essay writing, painting, quiz, model making, etc., were also organised. The information on the Indian space programme is available to public through ISRO website www.isro.org . The Website also provides the contents of the DOS Annual Report, Space India, Press releases, etc.
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