Chandrayaan - I

Just read a detailed write-up on the Chandrayaan - I, India's first launch vehicle to the Moon. It is supposed to be launched sometime in September this year, though a final date is not yet confirmed.

Chandrayaan - I will primarily be a remote sensing satellite, for sensing the lunar surface. This satellite is expected to map the lunar surface and create a 3-D atlas of the topography. The entire launch vehicle will contain 11 payloads, 5 by ISRO and 6 by international agencies like NASA, ESA and The Bulgarian Space Agency. The spacecraft will be launched by a modified version of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) PSLV-XL. The PSLV is the workhorse of ISRO, with a string of uninterrupted successes till date. The spacecraft is supposed to reach the moon in 5 and 1/2 days time.

There is a wonderful site put in place by ISRO covering all aspects of the mission. In case one is interested, it can be visted here.

Waiting eargrly for the launch and the pictures! By the way, here is a sample picture of central Delhi taken by the CARTOSAT-2A and presented to the Prime Minister by the ISRO team. CARTOSAT-2A was the main payload of the epic PSLV - C9 launch, which put 10 satellites into space creating a world record.

It is good to see, the space programme of our country now yielding commercial results in big magnitudes.

Blast It!

This is the expression I would like to borrow from Bertie Wooster, to describe the current political situation of my country. The entire world is under a tremendous economic stress, and all that our politicians can think of is the approaching general elections. Energy needs of our country, rising inflation and cross border terrorism are all at their disposal to exploit public sentiments and influence the voters. I hope we are educated enough to understand what is going on, and teach these people a lesson.

On something refreshing now. Watched a small clip of JS reciting "Dil mein ab dard-e-muhabbat". It sounds so different in his voice! Notice the way in which he comes down from the "meri ibaadat" to "ke siwa" in the second line of the verse. With all due respects to Lata Mangeshkar for her version, this short one truly brings out the feeling of the poet.

Yes, that is Babu in the frame to the left of JS.