Article Posted on : - Aug 27, 2010

BANGALORE (BNS): India will host the prestigious Scientific Assembly of Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) conference in Maysore, Karnataka in the year 2012.

About 3000 scientists from more than 50 countries are expected to participate in the 39th edition of the international event that will be hosted by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) during July 14-22, 2012.

The International Council for Science founded COSPAR in 1958. Establishment of COSPAR coincided with the launch of the first Earth-orbiting artificial satellite Sputnik-1 and therewith the beginning of the space age, ISRO said.

COSPAR has its headquarters in Paris, France and Dr. Giovanni F Bignami is its current President. Dr Bignami is the Chairman of European Space Agency`s Scientific Advisory Council.

The objectives of COSPAR are of pure scientific interest without the influence of political considerations. It aims at scientific research in space at an International level, with an emphasis on exchange of results, information and opinions, and to provide a forum, open to all scientists, for discussion of problems that may affect scientific space research.

"To achieve these objectives, COSPAR holds Scientific Assemblies every two years. During the scientific assembly sessions, the participants would present latest projects and results in posters or oral presentations", it said.

COSPAR’s first Space Science Symposium was organised in Nice, France in January 1960.

ISRO had earlier hosted COSPAR conference in 1979 here.

The Mysore Congress in 2012 would be held at Global Education Centre, Infosys Campus.

Prof U R Rao, Chairman, PRL Council and former Chairman, ISRO, has been elected as the Chairman, Programme Committee of COSPAR, the statement added.