Why in news? The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has announced a new introductory-level online training programme called space science and technology awareness training (START).

Highlights:

• START is aimed at postgraduate and final-year undergraduate students of physical sciences and technology.
• Academic institutions can submit applications for the programme through the Jigyasa portal.
• The programme will cover various domains of space science, including astronomy and astrophysics, heliophysics and sun-earth interaction, instrumentation and aeronomy. It will be delivered by scientists from Indian academia and ISRO centres.

Aim of the initiative:

• The programme is part of the ISRO’s efforts to enable Indian students to become professionals in space science and technology.
• It is intended to give them an overview of the different facets of the field, research opportunities and career options.

Remote sensing courses

The ISRO’s National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) has also announced two short courses

• remote sensing data acquisition
• remote sensing data processing.

The courses are scheduled to be held from August 21 to September 1 and October 9 to 20 respectively, at NRSC’s Earth Station at Shadnagar near Hyderabad.