Bangalore: Isro enters a new space

In the run-up to the launch of its first inter-planetary mission, Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) has taken to social media to connect with netizens and update the activities relating to the Mars Orbiter Mission.

An official Facebook account (goo.gl/cybk4I) created by the space agency on October 22 gives an insight of the Isro expedition to the Red Planet.

The page, apart from highlighting the objectives of the expedition, also shares pictures, graphics and updates relating to the Mars Orbiter Mission, which is to be launched on November 5 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.

That apart, it also provides an opportunity for netizens to give their feedback and suggestions to Isro.

“We would love to hear from you; your feedbacks/comments/suggestions and all that you want to share with us. And when you want to hear from the horse’s mouth on this mission, you don’t have to look beyond this page!” says the wall of the Mars Orbiter Mission Facebook page.

There is an overwhelming response from netizens as the Facebook page, in little more than a week after it was created, garnered more than 9,000 likes. More than 7,000 people talking about the page.

Apart from conveying their best wishes on their posts for the missions, netizens belonging to all age groups have also posted queries relating to the Rs 450 crore expedition.

Social space
Though Isro is a new entrant to the social media; the practice of engaging netizens has been followed by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) for a while now. The US space agency has a Nasa Social programme, which provides opportunities for Nasa social media followers to learn and share information about its missions. The social programme also occasionally gives users an opportunity to visit Nasa facilities and interact with scientists, engineers and astronauts.