With an aim to focus on space science and technology in Bhutan, the Department of Information Technology and Telecom (DITT) would launch Bhutan Space Week later this month.
The programme will be observed from February 17 to 23, on the occasion of 40th birthday of Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck- the King of Bhutan.
The aim of the programme is also to promote, educate and outreach space science and technology.
DITT announced that a series of activities including space seminar, space quiz competition and space-themed movie screening would be held during the week.
“Bhutan’s first satellite CubeSat Bhutan-1 was released into space in 2018. The seminar would highlight primarily on this venture,” DITT officials said.
“Various space activities and application of satellite would also be discussed in the seminar,” the officials added.
The officials further informed that the quiz competition is open for students from Class IX to Class XII and a preliminary test for the same will be conducted across the country to select the best 10 teams.
“Meanwhile, eligible students who wish to participate in the quiz can register with DITT until February 8,” the officials added.
“The winners would be rewarded with prizes including robot car development kits and personal telescopes,” the DITT officials further said.
In the week-long event, the operation of BHUTAN-1, which can be tracked from the ground station, would also be demonstrated, the officials said.
BHUTAN-1 is currently operating at a low altitude of about 500 km to 1,500 km and it passes around the country three-four times a day for five minutes.
BHUTAN-1 was developed by Bhutanese engineers at the Kyushu Institute of Technology and it has been in the orbit for over a year now.
