India and a top US science body have forged
an international organisation to develop space solar power, an
initiative that has the potential of solving humanity's energy needs and
greatly mitigating climate change. "Time has arrived for us to
together attempt to give a direction and momentum to this movement to
realise space solar power and its enabling technologies through
international collaboration that can help rebuild our environmentally
vulnerable planet," Abdul Kalam, eminent Indian scientist and
ex-President, and Mark Hopkins, executive committee chairman of the
National Space Society, said in a joint statement yesterday. They
announced to have a clear plan of action to market the idea of a livable
planet Earth through space solar power to G8 or G20 nations within a
year. "We shall start our team building and mission structuring phase
with core members from nations who we know are already networking and
who are contributing to the dream of harvesting energy from space,
including the US, India, Japan, and UK," the joint statement said. The
statement followed a presentation made by Kalam in which he unveiled his
global space solar plan. "Such a shared vision shall include specific
mechanisms such as the Global Space Knowledge Platform, the
International Virtual Laboratory, and the International Advisory
Committee that Dr. Kalam has elaborated through discussion papers with
Mr. Hopkins and his Address to the 2013 National Space Society's
International Space Development Conference (ISDC 2013). "We hope our
international collaborative mission will act as a catalyst for a livable
planet which will promote prosperity and peaceful relations within and
between nations", the statement said. Kalam, also known as the 'Missile
Man of India' for his work on the development of ballistic missile and
launch vehicle technology, has in the past pitched for exploiting the
tremendous energy available from the Sun.
Congress leader Manishankar Aiyar attracted opposition BJP's ire today in Rajya Sabha when he said he was not interested in listening to speech of a BJP member on vote on account, prompting the Chair to adjourn the House amid uproar. During the Zero Hour, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien allowed Aiyar, who wanted to ask a question, to do so, which was opposed by BJP members. Kurien asked Aiyar whether he yielded to allow others to speak, to which he said he had no objection and he can ask his question later. As the House got ready to initiate discussion on Vote on Account, Kurien said, "Let us reduce the discussion to two hours from four hours," which was opposed by BJP members including Piyush Goyal who was given a chance to speak on Vote on Account. When it was agreed that discussion will take place as per schedule, Aiyar remarked he was not interested in listening to the speech by BJP member. "You had given me the chance to ask a question
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