Over the moon: Space Family Fair comes to an end with a big bang

Students display space science-related projects, visitors enthralled

KARACHI: This Sunday, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Museum was filled with more than families on an outing - people had gathered for the concluding ceremony of World Space Week's two-day Space Family Fair, which had been organised by the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco).

Twenty-five stalls displayed different space-related projects made by students of the Suparco Institute of Technical Training and other universities.

The Space Family Fair included space-related activities such as a space movie theatre, micro gravity experiments, robotic manipulator, university project competition, model-making competition, water rocket competition, display of satellite models and kids arena among others.

The fair drew museum visitors, who preferred to come to the fair instead of going to the amusement park. Muhammad Shafi, who brought his family to the museum, said that his children enjoy visiting the amusement park but he brought them to the fair to spark their interest in science.

Though every project had its own importance, visitors were fascinated by the demonstration of the water rocket built using a plastic bottle. The project was made by Rizwan Yaqoob and Sidra, students of the Suparco Institute of Technical Training. Yaqoob told The Express Tribune that if launched at a 45-degree angle, the rocket could cover a distance of 100 metres, whereas launching it at an angle of 90-degree will also reach a height of 100 metres.

A solar aeroplane was made by DHA Suffa University student Salman Khan who said he has displayed his project at several other competitions and received very good feedback. Describing his project, Khan said that the plane charges its battery with the help of solar energy and is controlled by a remote control. He added that it can reach a height of 500 metres.



Addressing the audience, chief guest and Suparco space application and research member Imran Iqbal said that World Space Week provides opportunities to young students to prove their skills in the field of space technology. He added that the talent of the youth in Pakistan is no less than the youth of any other country in the world - they just require a proper platform to display their skills.

Iqbal said that their organisation will continue to organise such events in order to develop and enable children to take interest in the field of space science.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 24^th, 2016.