The 'Students for Exploration and Development of Space' (SEDS) is holding its annual international conference on 22nd and 23rd of September 2007 at VIT University (VIT-U), Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India. The SEDS International Conference 2007 (SEDSIC) is being organised by SEDS-VIT, the VIT-U chapter of SEDS and has been endorsed by the American Astronomical Society. The conference theme is 'Developments in Aerospace through Astronomical considerations'.

SEDSIC '06 was organized in Valencia, Spain in September 2006. It is for the first time in the history of the 27-year-old SEDS that SEDSIC is being organised in India. Acclaimed Indian university VIT University (formerly Vellore Institute of Technology), where SEDS-VIT is based as a students' chapter, has been chosen as the venue.

The Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS) is an organization of students with an interest in astronomy & space-related sciences and activities. SEDS was founded in 1980 at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States, and is now a leading international technical society with chapters in more than ten countries worldwide. Our activities include organizing lectures, designing and launching rockets, building small satellites, teaching young students about space, astronomy & astrophysics, conversing with lawmakers about space-related issues, and various other projects. For more information, please visit the SEDS website: http://seds.org/

Among the various events planned for SEDSIC, is NAKSHATRA, the Technical Paper/Poster Presentation Event. Abstracts have been invited on the following topics:-

1. Materials used in space re-entry vehicles
2. Clearance of space debris
3. Use of space technology/energy for human welfare
4. Protection of communication systems from solar flares
5. Extra-galactic astronomy
6. Planetary sciences

Over 200 abstracts hav been received as of 10th August 2007, the closing date for submission. They are being reviewed by our Reviewers' Board consisting of eminent teachers in the fields of astronomy & space sciences from India & abroad.

Being one of the premier events of SEDS, SEDSIC '07 is all set to attract the cream of the Space community from all over the world. This would include the master brains and top shots of the Space industry and academia alike. Hope you dont miss out on the stars that are about to shine over VIT University this September 2007!