Udaipur: Moon should be used as a research platform and a base site for inter-planetary exploration, President A P J Abdul Kalam today (Nov 23, 2004) said.

"Moon belongs to the humanity and research on it must be based on international cooperation," he said delivering an inaugural speech at the 'Sixth international conference on exploration and utilization of Moon'.

In a 35-minutes slide presentation at the Darbar Hall of city palace in Udaipur, Kalam advocated greater exchange programme among young scientists and building up of a mechanism for getting support of deep space network.

He also advised scientists to develop standards for payloads and "piggy back payloads".

Talking of various developments in space research, he said there was one million tonnes of Helium on the surface of the Moon. "Only 25 tonnes of helium could provide electricity to people on earth for one year".

Among others who addressed the inaugural session of the conference which began scientific sessions yesterday (Nov 22, 2004) included the Governor of Rajasthan Pratibha Patil, and Prof U S Rao, former ISRO chairman.

The conference is being organised by physical research laboratory and I)RO. About 170 scientists including 70 from abroad are taking part in the five days of deliberations.