While a million people of the country sat glued to their television sets on Friday night to see the moon landing of Chandrayaan-2, four students from the Telugu-speaking states had the privileged of witnessing the action from ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network in Bengaluru.
Mettu Namrutha and Kalikota Parthiv (from Telangana) and Pragada Kanchana Balasri Vasavi and K. Rithvik (from Andhra Pradesh), who qualified the ISRO ‘Space Quiz’, were part of the 60-student group who witnessed the operations of Chandrayaan-2 from ISRO’S Bengaluru centre with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
An unbelievable spectacle
For 15-year-old Namrutha, the experience of watching the lunar exploration mission was “unbelievable”. “We were all very excited and walked into the ISRO centre around 9 pm on Friday and watched the entire episode on the big screen in the hall next to the mission control room. We were awestruck on seeing the equipment and facilities in the centre,” she says, adding that she’d never thought she’ll get such an opportunity.
Recalling the final moments when they waited for long to get a glimpse of Chandrayaan 2 landing, Namrutha talks about how everybody was tense and nervous trying to understand what was happening. “There was pin-drop silence and nobody was talking. We were all wondering what had happened,” recounts the Class VIII student of Teja Vidyalaya in Kodada Town.
Then, in the wee hours of Saturday, Chandrayaan-2’s Vikram lander lost contact with ISRO. Namrutha experienced the grief the rest of the nation felt too. “We were all feeling very disappointed and were waiting for some sort of communication. Eventually, at around 3 a.m., we were sent back to the ISRO guest house where we were put up,” she says.
But Namrutha’s disappointment was compensated by the fact she’d got a chance to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “I’ve always read about Prime Ministers in books and newspapers, but it was the first time I got a chance to meet him,” adds Namrutha.
Looking forward to the next time
Pragada Kanchana Balasri Vasavi, student from a government school in Polaki in Andhra Pradesh, was another person who delighted in being able to observe the Chandrayaan-2 launch first hand.
“We have only read about spaceso this was a once-in-a-life-time experience. And then to witness it all directly and watch the operations live is something I will cherish throughout my life,” recalls Kanchana, who, after watching them in action, believes that space scientists need to be given a “big salute”. “These scientists truly deserve a huge applause for the efforts they put in for the country,” she adds.
Like Namrutha, Kanchana was also disappointed at Chandrayaan-2 losing contact with ISRO's control centre, but she's optimistic about it happening another time. “Of course, I’d have been happier if the mission had completed, but the scientists here have assured us that they’ll review the operation and send it back successfully the next time,” says Kanchana.
