NewZNew (Zirakpur) : A team of budding space scientists, from Dikshant International School, Zirakpur, have done the tricity proud. Their Orbital space settlement project Apara Kshiti-Mandala was declared Numero Uno by top Space Science experts of India, at the recently concluded National Conference on Space-2015 in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. The conference was organized by Madhya Pradesh Council of Science and Technology (MPCST). The students won the first prize, of 11000/ along with a trophy in the ‘Orbital space settlement design’ competition’.

The competition was intense as 150 students from across the country had submitted their projects. The achievement is significant as the Judges who rated the projects were eminent experts of Indian Space Science. The Judges’ panel included Dr V Narayanan, Deputy Director, ISRO, Thiruvananthapuram, Suresh Naik, Former Group Director, ISRO and Prof. P K Verma, Director General, MPCST.

Six (6) Students from grade 8 to 10 of Dikshant International School had made the project–Apara Kshiti-Mandala. The space settlement design by students was based on an orbital settlement with a self-sufficient life support system.  The students’ created a Near Earth model of an orbital space colony, where approximately 10,000 people can live, work & enjoy life.

Mr. Mitul Dikshit, Chairman, Dikshant International School said, “The achievement by students will ignite us to provide even better facilities to them so as to increase their scientific temperament. We always try to expose students to practical aspects of science. We are therefore also setting up a fixed digital planetarium in the school premises soon.”