Over the Moon

India successfully launched Chandrayaan-1. Its a major achievement for Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It is a time for jubilation for all Indians and specifically the scientific community of India and they are cherishing every moment of it with the successful launch. In two weeks time the robotic probe will reach the lunar orbit (about 100 km).It will orbit the Moon, compiling a 3-D atlas of the lunar surface and mapping the distribution of elements and minerals.

ISRO revealed that Chandrayaan-1 is only the beginning, and that the mission, which is expected to last for two years, will be followed by Chandrayaan-2, which will go even further, by landing on the Moon, and continue exploration with a rover. India’s plans don’t stop here, and in the future, the ISRO also hopes it will be able to send an unmanned spacecraft to Mars and beyond (to asteroids and comets, and even one to study the Sun). Mr Madhavan Nair Chairman of ISRO announced that they plan to send a man to space in 2015. For the time being, the Moon awaits......

Unlike the lunar and space race in the 60's and 70's that was probably exploratory or for supremacy (between erstwhile Soviet Union and US), the present spike of interest in moon exploration (especially from Europe, Japan and China) is more commercial, scientific and even has tactical implications. It is to find out what is there on the moon, and whether technologies can be developed on earth to make rewarding use of lunar resources.The presence of helium-3, believed to be a clean and excellent fuel of the future is just one of the reasons why countries want to literally, reach for the moon. The Moon may well hold hidden tales about the early history of the Solar System, its evolution and of the crucial period when life emerged on the Earth.

The Chandrayaan-1 lunar probe marks an effort by ISRO to go beyond the Vikram Sarabhai dream (Father of Indian Space Program) — a first step in taking on the challenges of deep space exploration. ISRO is setting a trend in space exploration by demonstrating the fact that we are all one world ie "Vasudeva Kudumbakam" (the entire creation of God is one family). It is exemplified by the fact that the mission includes five ISRO payloads and six payloads from other international space agencies including NASA, ESA and the Bulgarian Aerospace Agency, which are being carried free of cost. Congrats to all the scientists and people behind this successful venture. I conclude with the words of Professor Vikram Sarabhai (1919-1971)

"There are some who question the relevance of space activities in a developing nation. To us, there is no ambiguity of purpose. We do not have the fantasy of competing with the economically advanced nations in the exploration of the moon or the planets or manned space-flight. But we are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second to none in the application of advanced technologies to the real problems of man and society. "