Govt signs MoU with VSSC to set up Space Park

Thiruvananthapuram: Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the state government to set up Kerala Space Park here on Thursday.
The agreement was signed by state IT secretary M Sivasankar and VSSC director S Somanath in the presence of chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan at the office of the chief minister here on Thursday.
“With VSSC and the government joining hands for the project, Kerala is set to make major strides in space technology . This partnership will create an ideal ambience for advanced research and development in space technology,” the chief minister said.
The agreement will facilitate VSSC to support the state’s ambitious project to set up the country’s first state-of-the-art space systems park at Knowledge City in the state capital. It will help attract global start-ups in the space sector and make it a major manufacturing hub for space-related technology and research.
“This agreement will enable to tap the full potential of Kerala in space research. The space park will also generate plenty of job opportunities,” Somanath said.
Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Knowledge Centre and Space Museum will be set up as part of the space park project.
The Kerala Space Park has two sub-verticals – Space Technology Application Development Ecosystem (STADE) and Nano Space Park. STADE has already signed agreements with French Space Agency CNES and also Airbus, for promotion of space and aerospace startups.
The project will be implemented by the electronics and IT department, government of Kerala. The government will provide 20.01 acres in lease to the Kerala State Information Technology Infrastructure Ltd to develop the park at the Knowledge City within the Technocity.