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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/First_space-theme_park_near_Pune/articleshow/4029259.cms
Asia's first space-theme park to come up near Pune
25 Jan 2009

NEW DELHI: As India reaches out to the moon, a state-of-the-art space-theme park, complete with an aviation camp, fun rides to experience
weightlessness and more, is set to come up at a hill station being developed near Pune.

The entertainment centre called SpaceWorld will come up at Lavasa Hill City being developed in the picturesque Sahyadri mountains about 80 km from Pune.

SpaceWorld will be Asia's first hi-tech centre for space education and entertainment and is expected to be operational by 2010 end. The park spreads over 65 acres and is being developed by the Lavasa Corporation in collaboration with Dubai-based Space Investment Company (SIC) at a cost of Rs 400 crore.

Billed as the first hill station in post-Independence India, Lavasa is being built by infrastructure major Hindustan Construction Company.

"While we will invest 19 per cent of the cost for the centre, the SIC will spend the rest," HCC Chairman and Managing Director Ajit Gulabchand, who is also the Chairman of Lavasa Corporation, said.

The SIC is a partner and licensee of United State space and rocket centre that operates SpaceWorld Arabia in the UAE.

The centre will offer courses, primarily aimed at new technologies and space browsing. These programmes will help create understanding of aerospace science.

It will also have an entertainment area for live communication with International Space Station, lectures by astronauts and simulations of various missions.