IIIT students' projects selected for NASA Contest

Naresh Nunna

The young minds, Nikhila, Sai Sushmita, Soumya, Sravanti, Prasanna and Ramakrishna of Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technologies (RJUKT) IIIT- Nuzvid, are apparently naïve with their unassuming rural background. But, the modest set of pre-university and engineering first year students, who were also contestants of NASA Ames Space Settlement Design Contest � 2013, are now the proud winners of the event, as their thirteen projects were selected for the contest.

Speaking to The Hans India, the mentor of the projects, Saleem Babu, who is also their English faculty member, said the selected projects would be exhibited in the 32nd Annual International Space Development Conference (ISDC) to be held at San Diego, USA, from May 23 to 27.A "The idea of having space settlement is not too far from reality, thanks to the untiring efforts of NASA and scientists, very soon the idea of having colony will be coming true," he said.

Explaining one of their projects, Nikhila said: "Our 'Indraprastha' (space settlement) was designed keeping all the requirements that humans need in space and is designed in such a way fashion that one feels like being on earth itself." Titan is another space station they designed and which got first prize in a specific category.

"When the residents of Titan enter the station it would be like a dream world, which they have never dreamed before. In Titan we use hydrogen powered vehicles, computer controlled mini vehicles, space elevators and many which would give lot of excitement to people," BL Prasanna said with excitement.

"I am yet to realise that I got the first prize (in Grade 11) in the NASA contest in individual category. My theme is 'How man can lead a luxurious life in space by using latest technologies. Going by the successive missions designed by our scientists, we can understand that nothing is impossible for humans. I presented ideas on how we can lead an alternative life in space," said Prasanna, who designed 'Titan' project.

According to Saleem Babu, 38 students of the institute prepared the projects on 'Creating alternative living for the mankind in space'. Last year, six projects, designed by ten students were selected for the international conference. Amaranthos, Akron, Garuda, Atman, Magma, Divoucas, Athena are a few projects were among the selected. The projects were designed by pre-university and engineering first year students of the Nuzvid IIIT, Mr. Khan told The Hindu on Tuesday.

"Our project, 'Amaranthos' has won the second prize (in Grade 12) in the contest. The mission explains the 'miracles created by mankind in science' and the 'requirements for leading a pollution-free life in space," says Y Bhavani Devi, who has prepared the project along with two other students � I Nandini and D Soundarya. A "Our qualitative teaching standards today yield the results," IIIT Director Ibrahim Khan said.