Hail of rockets at Marine Drive today

The Marine Drive promenade will be assailed by a rocket attack from 2.30 pm to 4 pm today.

The Marine Drive promenade will be assailed by a rocket attack from 2.30 pm to 4 pm today. At least 54 rockets are to land on the grounds of the Police Gymkhana. The rockets though need not be greeted with any trepidation. This is a water rocket competition for school students, being held jointly by the Nehru Planetarium and the Indian Space Research Organisation.

TAKE OFF: A water rocket launch demonstration outside the Nehru Planetarium, yesterday. PIC/VISHAL KELKAR

"Twenty-seven students chosen after a quiz competition will launch these rockets in a first-of-its-kind contest," explained Planetarium director Piyush Pandey.

The students, all between 14-16 years of age, will launch two rockets each.

The aim of the competition is to popularise space science amongst students. Said Pandey, "There is great interest in space research, after the launch of Chandray-aan. This is to capitalise on the excitement of being in the forefront of the space age."

Pandey explained that the water rockets can travel to a maximum of 200 feet in distance and up to 60 feet in height. "The aim of the competition is not to fire rockets at the longest distance or greatest height, but to get students to fire along or closest to a line, called the Bull's-Eye Line, that will be drawn," he added.

Pandey assured that there was no danger of the rockets falling on passing cars.