Space stations and related technologies play a vital role in engineering education, research, and exploration, said prominent scientist and former Director of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre Srihari Kota Range (SDSC-SHAR) Padma Shri M.Y. S. Prasad.
Delivering a lecture on “Space Stations and Space Life” at Gudlavalleru Engineering College on Thursday (November 06, 2025), Dr. Prasad explained to the final year engineering students about the different orbits like Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), and Geostationary Orbit (GEO) and how they serve different purposes, from Earth observation to navigation and communication.
He said human spaceflight involves stages like launch, reaching orbit, performing missions, and re-entry. Space stations are long-term orbiting laboratories built modularly in orbit, requiring complex construction and a dedicated control centre for mission management, he added.
Using short illustrative videos, he vividly demonstrated the complex technical aspects behind the design and development of the International Space Station (ISS). He also elaborated on how astronauts perform critical repair spacewalks through extensive preparation and strict adherence to safety protocols, relying on self-contained life support systems within their suits. On the International Space Station (ISS), he said, daily life involves a highly structured routine within habitation modules, with sophisticated systems managing food, water, and oxygen in a closed-loop environment.
College Principal B. Karuna Kumar, Director P. Siddayya, Management Advisor P. Ravindrababu, Vice Principal (Academics) M.R.C.H. Sastry, Director, PG and CRD G.V.S.N.R.V. Prasad, Director, ASA M. Kamaraju and convenors M. Baburao and N. Rajeshwari were present.
Published – November 06, 2025 08:52 pm IST
