Jalandhar: Lovely Professional University (LPU) celebrated National Space Day 2026 with a series of innovation driven activities inspired by the national theme, “Towards Viksit Bharat: Innovating, Collaborating and Aspiring to Global Space Leadership.” Organised by the Centre for Space Science (CSS) under the R&D Cell, the celebration brought together space innovation challenges, geospatial competitions, expert sessions, and interactive activities that encouraged students to explore India’s achievements in space science while engaging with emerging technologies and future possibilities in space exploration.
Dr. Monica Gulati, Executive Dean, LPU said, “India’s space programme has emerged as one of the country’s strongest symbols of scientific confidence and self reliance. National Space Day reminds young minds that the future of space exploration will be shaped not only by astronauts and scientists but also by engineers, researchers, entrepreneurs, designers, and innovators across disciplines. Universities have a crucial responsibility in preparing students to contribute to this national mission.”
Delivering the keynote session on ‘India’s Journey in Space, Future Missions and Career Opportunities in the Space Sector,’ Dr. Rishitosh K. Sinha, Scientist/Engineer SF from the Planetary Remote Sensing Section at the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad, shared insights into India’s expanding space ecosystem, planetary research, upcoming missions, and the growing opportunities awaiting young professionals in the country’s rapidly evolving space sector.
The Inter School Space Innovation Expo witnessed students presenting working models and technology driven solutions inspired by space science. The winning project, ORRAS (Operational Risk & Regional Alert System), developed by Arpit Gupta, Abdullah Arman, and Amit Yadav, demonstrated how space based Earth observation can strengthen disaster preparedness. The platform integrates 13+ open data sources, including NASA FIRMS satellite fire and thermal data and USGS seismic data, into an intelligent system capable of analysing threats, detecting anomalies, and generating confidence based regional risk assessments for fires, earthquakes, and humanitarian emergencies.
The expo also recognised an agriculture focused innovation developed by Yashkumar, Yashwardhansinghhada, Lokesh, and their team, showcasing how space technologies can contribute to sustainable farming through precision agriculture solutions.
The Space Debate Championship added another engaging dimension to the celebration as participants explored the future of artificial intelligence in space exploration. The discussions concluded that while AI has become an indispensable tool for modern space missions, human judgment, adaptability, and accountability remain irreplaceable in mission critical environments where reliability and fault tolerance are essential.
The celebration reflected LPU’s continued commitment to nurturing future space professionals through research, innovation, and industry exposure. The university has consistently created opportunities for students to engage with space science through specialised programmes, innovation platforms, and collaborations that connect classroom learning with real world space technologies.
