Article Posted on : - Jul 12, 2012

BANGALORE (PTI): Scientists from 75 countries would gather in the palace city of Mysore over the weekend to deliberate on contemporary topics in the realm of space.

The week-long gathering of more than 2,500 scientists and students from 75 countries will witness presentations on over 3600 scientific papers, posters and reports through more than 630 sessions, according to Indian Space Research Organisation.

ISRO is hosting the event - the 39th Scientific Assembly of the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) with the theme 'Space - for the benefit of Mankind'.

COSPAR 2012 is being organised at the N R Narayana Murthy Centre of Excellence, Infosys Campus, Mysore during July 14-22.

This conference is co-hosted by Infosys Limited. ISRO had earlier hosted the COSPAR conference in 1979 in Bangalore.

Professor U R Rao, Chairman, Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) Council and former Chairman, ISRO is the Chair of the COSPAR Scientific Programme Committee. Dr.Giovanni F Bignami, Chairman of European Space Agency's Advisory Council, is the current President of COSPAR.

Founded in 1958 by the International Council for Science (ICSU), COSPAR is considered as one of the foremost space science research associations. It has both National Scientific Institutions and International Scientific Unions as members.

The objectives of COSPAR are to promote scientific research in space on an international level, with emphasis on the exchange of results, information and opinions, and to provide a forum, open to all scientists, for the discussion of problems that may affect scientific space research.
These objectives are achieved through the organisation of scientific assemblies, publications and other means.

The COSPAR Scientific Assembly provides the world's largest inter-disciplinary forum for the exchange of recent results in the area of space research and, therefore, is a particularly important meeting for members participating in the scientific activities, according to ISRO.

"COSPAR offers an excellent platform to present India as a significant venue for space research and innovation. Hosting this prestigious event in India offers our scientists an opportunity to get actively involved and benefit from the interactions with their global counterparts," it said.

COSPAR also encourages students' participation and provides opportunities for them to meet and interact with space science professionals, members of academia, space industries and government bodies from all over the world.

The delegates will also get to attend a space agency round table whose participants will present a vision for space in 2020 and beyond.

Apart from this, six Inter-disciplinary Lectures, a presentation of COSPARs recent study titled "A Space Astronomy Global Road Map for the Next Decades," and a public lecture on Exo-planets, would be presented by top experts.

Dr.K Radhakrishnan, Chairman, ISRO will put forward India's space vision in the space agency's round table.

The conference will start with 'International Academy of Astronautics day' on July 14, and the scientific sessions of COSPAR will start from July 15. The opening and awards ceremony of the conference will be held on July 16.