SPACE AND PHYSICAL SCIENCES

Being a physicist, having close links with space efforts of the countr y, I propose to use this opportunity to share with you the excitement of doing physics the space-way. Over the last three decades, we are wi tnessing a phase of science research where breakthroughs or opening of new frontiers of knowledge are becoming increasingly possible only wi th advances in experimental techniques and technology with technologic al and scientific advances driving each other. Here I propose to cite some specific examples of fundamental contributions to physics made po ssible by advances in space technology, a more exhaustive list o which is given in Table 1. I shall also discuss the possibilities of doing experiments in physical sciences using the Indian space platform.