Sounding rocket launched

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) will launch a sounding rocket from Thumba at 11.45 am on Friday as part of the World Space Week (WSW) celebrations. The public is allowed to enter the VSSC campus to witness the launch of the RH-200 sounding rocket and also visit the Space Museum, VSSC officials said.

Visitors can bring food and drinking water, but taking mobile phones, cameras or any other electronic gadgets inside the campus is strictly prohibited due to security reasons. VSSC uses its sounding rockets - which carry instrumentation aboard them - to probe the upper atmosphere and for space research.

The launch of the first sounding rocket from Thumba on November 21 marked the beginning of the Indian space programme. As part of the open house programme, VSSC had organised a launch on Thursday also.