ISRO Inaugurates First Space Laboratory in Remote Arunachal Pradesh
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Itanagar, August 16, 2025 — In a groundbreaking move to promote space education in India’s far-flung regions, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), alongside the Muskaan Foundation, inaugurated a state-of-the-art space laboratory at Mechuka Government Higher Secondary School in the remote Shi-Yomi district of Arunachal Pradesh. The lab was officially opened by Education Minister Pasang Dorjee Sona and is named the Pasang Wangchuk Sona ISRO Space Laboratory in memory of his father, honoring his steadfast belief in the transformative power of education.
Designed to provide students with hands-on exposure to space science and technology, the laboratory is expected to act as a “cosmic classroom”, inspiring innovation, curiosity, and scientific thinking among the youth in the region. “This laboratory is not just an educational facility—it is a tribute to my father’s unwavering belief in the power of education and curiosity. I hope it becomes a place where our children dream bigger, explore science fearlessly, and reach for the stars,” Minister Sona remarked during the inauguration.
The launch of this facility marks a significant leap forward in integrating space-based learning into rural education. Officials, including Shi-Yomi Deputy Commissioner Liyi Bagra, Deputy Director of School Education Tade Dabi, and Muskaan Foundation COO Pranesh Debnath, were present at the ceremony along with students, teachers, and local community leaders.
By placing advanced scientific infrastructure in remote areas, ISRO and its partners aim to cultivate a new generation of innovators and explorers—one that is not limited by geography but energized by possibility.
