Aerospace students from India visit Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center

Nine Indian Aerospace students visited the Gagarin State Scientific Research-and-Testing Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC), Moscow for space training and aerospace workshop by Moscow Aviation Institute (MAI) on 12 October 2016. GCTC is a Russian training facility responsible for training cosmonauts for their space missions. These students who went for the visit are a part of Space Kidz India, an organisation that aims at promoting science and technology for Indian students.

Being the ambassador for GCTC, Space Kidz India flew its first crew from India comprising students from various institutions who got an exposure about the space centers at Russia. In the workshop, the crew got to work on a 360* lab, Simulation lab, see the 'Super Computer' and got on board a MIG 27. A presentation on the Sputniks, a series of Russian artificial satellites sent into orbit during the late 1950s and Russian aircraft manufacturer Sukhoi was the highlight.

At GCTC, Cosmonaut Salizhan Sharipov, spoke to the crew about his experience in space, and how he trains the Astronauts and Cosmonauts. Simulation activities were a highlight at the GCTC. Students were distributed certificates for their successful completion of the workshop.
The event was organised by Alla, Russian counterpart of Space Kidz India ar Roscosmos State Corporation.

This educational mission to Russia, was flagged off by Consul general HE Mr. Sergei Kotov and Vice Consul Mr. Mikhail Gorbotov. Siva Suriya, who won the Young Scientist India -2016 organised by Space Kidz India jointly with Abdul Kalam International Foundation and MAI for his solar power project was also a part of the mission that concluded on the 19th October 2016. The team arrived Chennai today after their educational trip.

In August, Space Kidz India won the Limca Book of Records for its successful NSLV launch that touched an altitude of 106789 ft. They also retrieved the payload and the data stored in it.