HIGHLIGHTS
• Isro has built a viewing gallery in the form of a stadium which can presently accommodate around 5,000 people
• The gallery facing the two launchpads will give a clear line of sight of the rocket and its launch
NEW DELHI: Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) has finally opened its door to people who wish to catch a glimpse of spectacular launches of its multi-storeyed tall and tonnes-heavy rockets from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, an island in Andhra Pradesh.
Monday's liftoff of PSLV-C45 carrying a DRDO payload Emisat and 28 foreign satellites will be the first such launch which spectators can witness at the space agency's island, which is over 100km north of Chennai. The agency's move to open its high-security launch facility for people for free is on the lines of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa), which too allows people in the US to watch its space activities, including rocket launches.
The viewing gallery, built like a stadium, can accommodate around 5,000 people. The gallery faces the two launchpads and will give a clear line of sight of the rocket and its launch.
Talking to TOI, Isro chairman K Sivan said: "The new stadium set up on the island can accommodate 5,000 spectators. But as a precautionary measure, we will allow only 1,000 people for Monday's launch. As the launch is at 9.30am, the entry at the stadium will only be till 8am to avoid last-minute hassles. The gallery is located 2-3km from the launchpad and will give a clear and better view of PSLV and GSLV launches. If all goes smoothly, we will allow 5,000 people for the next launch. We will later make some changes at the stadium to accommodate 10,000."
The Isro chief, who will inaugurate the viewing gallery on Sunday, said the opening of the launch centre for the public has been part of his vision to "take Isro to people" to increase public awareness about space activities.
On the eligibility criteria, Sivan said, "Only Indian citizens and children above 10 years will be allowed entry. People have to first register themselves online at the Isro website. They also have to sign an agreement online that will make it clear that Isro won't be liable for any untoward incident at the stadium or Sriharikota launch centre. On filling up all required documents online, people will get an entry pass which they have to download, take a print and show it to security while entering the island."