Panaji: The pristine gardens of the Goa Science Centre came alive with excitement on Monday as school students queued up for a chance to experience the newly inaugurated Human Gyro.The Goa Science Centre observed Moon Landing Day on Monday by inaugurating the exhibit that simulates the 360-degree movements experienced by astronauts during space missions. The event marked the anniversary of the historic Apollo 11 Moon landing of July 20, 1969.Taking turns in pairs, children strapped themselves into the astronaut-training simulator, recreating the experience of astronauts.“Astronauts are trained to adapt to unpredictable body movements while operating in space, and I was always curious to know how that works,” said Shlok Phaldesai, a student of Hedgewar School.“When astronauts prepare for space missions, they are expected to perform different kinds of movements. During operations, they are exposed to such motions. The Human Gyro rotates the body 360 degrees in any direction, giving people a similar experience. It is an opportunity for enthusiasts to understand what space training feels like,” a Goa Science Centre official said.Visitors can also experience the lunar roving vehicle (LRV) exhibit, designed to simulate aspects of lunar exploration.The day’s activities also included a lecture on the Apollo 11 mission, a presentation on India’s space exploration programme, and a screening of a film on the life of Padma Shri awardee Rohini Godbole, the renowned particle physicist.The centre is also conducting a science demonstration lecture series, featuring live experiments and interactive demonstrations.
