Sunita Williams to address session at IIT Bombay''s aero event Zephyr

Astronaut Sunita L Williams, who recently came back to earth after having set a record for the the longest space walk is going to address students at the annual aviation festival of IIT Bombay''s aerospace department, Zephyr, on 6h October 2007.

Zephyr is being held along with golden jubilee celebrations of IIT Bombay.

Williams set records such as the longest space flight (195 days), four space walks totaling 29 hours and 17 min will be presenting a lecture-cum-interactive session on her recent space journey.

Zephyr is organised by the aerospace engineering department will be officially kicking off the Golden Jubilee celebrations of IIT Bombay. This year''s edition of Zephyr is set to be the biggest of its kind ever.

Zephyr will feature sessions with Dr A R Upadhya, director, National Aeronautics Ltd, Dr B N Suresh, director, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, P Venugopal, director, Defence Research and Development Laboratory, and Pulak Sen, chief editor, Indian Aviation News.

An exhibition at the event will feature IAF''s fighter helicopters along with missiles and real time experience of cockpits through flight simulators and sophisticated astronomical telescopes and will also provide participants an opportunity to experience different eras of aerospace through workshops and competitions, which form the backbone of Zephyr.

In addition to paper aircraft design and aeromodelling, this year''s event will feature two flagship competitions - MACHinfinity to test the skills of making fast electric-powered gliders; and the art of making a glider which glides down to safety after having lost its engine which sansPOWER.

The organisers have also kept in mind the need for light-hearted events like a "water rocketry" competition with the prize going to a water rocket that will stay airborne for the highest duration. Other competitions to feature this year include a paper presentation competition, flight simulator and an aerotainment quiz. More details on the event can be had at the event website, www.aero.iitb.ac.in/zephyr.