NASA R&D Centre in Pune?

This was an eyebrow-raising bit of news from Business Standard:

NASA may set up R&D centre in Pune
BS Reporter / Pune October 25, 2008, 18:57 IST

While India has just entered the list of moon-mission countries, the pioneer and global leader is aerospace projects US-based National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) seems to have taken India very seriously. NASA is on the verge of taking a decision to set up its largest non-US centre near Pune, which would necessarily be a huge theme park.

The project, which has been kept under heavy confidential barriers by NASA as well as its Indian-partner for this theme park, the Lavasa Corporation, is expected to be launched within a year's time frame over a sprawling area of more than 300 acres. The same marks NASA's entry into India, a country that over last two decades has emerged as a critical player in global aerospace research, execution and management projects. NASA's flourishing relations with Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and its sincere interests in India have reportedly led to this particular project.

While Nasa officials did not disloce any information regarding this project, Lavasa Corporation too avoided a comment. "The talks with NASA are confidential. I cannot reveal any information about this tie-up at this moment," Lavsa Corporation chief operating officer Rajgopal Nogja told Business Standard. When asked, when is an official announcement expected in this regard, Nogja said, the announcement would happen only when the deal is signed.

US-President Dwight Eisenhower had established the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in 1958. The move was then seen as a response to the Soviet Union's launch of the first artificial satellite in the year 1957. Later, the NASA grew out of the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics (NACA) involved in reaserch projects for 40 years then. On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, for the first time walked on the moon as part of the NASA project. NASA has more than 14 centres and facilities within US while they have certain other establishments in other parts of the world. The upcoming project, hence, would become its first ever-huge set up outside the United States of America (USA), an official working very close to these developments told Business Standard.

As part of its 50 years of celebrations, NASA has decided to expand its reach through a number of projects specifically in the research and development, academics, promotion and awareness segments. "Considering the presence of Inter University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) and a large number of top-brass educational institutions in India, the NASA officials seem to have finalised Pune city to set up the NASA theme park," the official stated.

The proposed theme park would come up along the backwaters of Varasgaon dam on a 300-acre huge piece of land, which is part of the controversial Lavasa Lake City promoted by Hindustan Construction Company (HCC). NASA plans to invest more than Rs 150 crore over this project. Located around 45 kilometers west of Pune, the theme park would be aimed at attracting youngsters and tourists towards NASA's activities. NASA is also giving a thought to set up a research and development centre at this venue, which would primarily be aimed at new technologies and space browsing, sources claimed.