Highlighting the need to "ignite the minds" of students to inspire them to make discoveries, former President APJ Abdul Kalam has proposed establishing a World Space Council which could oversee the planning and implementation of "exploration, space security and societal missions."
"Such a unified approach will enable the world to see a quantum jump in the progress in space science and technology for the benefit of all the nations of the world," Kalam said while delivering a lecture at the Rice University here.
The former President anticipates that more international partnerships will be formed to help countries and organisations share competencies and undertake the financial and management burdens associated with such large, complex activities.
About the the World Space Council proposed by him, he said it could, with global participation, "oversee the planning and implementation of exploration, space security and societal missions."
He stressed the need to "ignite the minds" and attract the imagination of young students in order to inspire them to make discoveries relevant to the World Space Vision 2050.
Kalam, also a renowned scientist, called for all space-faring nations to optimise their space capabilities by contributing substantially in technology and resources.
{{/usCountry}}Kalam, also a renowned scientist, called for all space-faring nations to optimise their space capabilities by contributing substantially in technology and resources.
{{/usCountry}}One such model, in which India participates, is the Pan-African e-Network, a USD 100 million initiative of 53 pan-African countries designed to improve education, health-care and e-governance.
Kalam believes international cooperation of the magnitude he envisions will speed the transformation of space science into broader applications.