Khul Ke, the innovative social networking app dedicated to fostering meaningful conversations, proudly presents its captivating RoundTable discussion featuring Dr. Mylswamy Annadurai, former Director of the U R Rao Satellite Centre, Bengaluru, and India's renowned 'Moon Man'. The insightful conversation comes ahead of the much-anticipated launch of Chandrayaan-3.
Khul Ke's RoundTable session offered an exclusive opportunity for users to engage directly with Dr. Annadurai, gaining unparalleled insights into the upcoming Chandrayaan-3 mission. With great expertise and charisma, Dr. Annadurai shared details about the mission, including the research instruments slated to be deployed on the Vikram lander and the Pragyan Rover.
During this captivating discussion, Dr. Annadurai addressed various key points, such as the anticipated route following the launch of Chandrayaan-3 from Sriharikota.
“Chandrayan mission has graduated from 1 to 2 to 3, now, to a modest mission of Chandrayan to have the remote sensing around the moon, that has itself graduated along with the moon impact probe which carries the national flag. We are looking at doing a lot more from the satellites. Be it the vegetation, the forestry, the water bearing elements, all the various spectrums. We took the signatures from the ground-based instruments, that is helping in remote sensing in the wider perspective. I think similarly this, from the moon, from 384,400 km, today you’re looking back to, Earth. So, with signatures, that probably will help when we look back at exoplanets, that is one aspect which was not there in the previous missions and other missions”, he shared.
He also shed light on the challenges encountered by the Vikram lander during the Chandrayaan-2 mission saying, “The whole thing is happening at the last minute, so when any of the thrusters’ malfunctions, instead of going in the required direction, it can go the other way. Also, it will not be able to steer properly, that’s what happened last minute, it did not take the orientation it was supposed to. Due to the last-minute dynamic interaction with the thrusters.”
“You should have a simpler system that needs to be tested thoroughly. The last leg is very fast but that needs a detailed plan, because if you look at many other missions that have failed the last leg, even the latest Israel mission, also the Japanese mission, so it was not only us. That way, the last leg needs very good attention and I think that attention has been given this time with Chandrayaan 3”, he added.
He also shared about the remarkable significance of exploring the untouched South Pole of the Moon, “Now I think the whole world is going to follow where we have gone. Though initially we also thought that our Chandrayaan Mission was the 70th mission going to the moon, now we are running 74-75th. Now when we look back, I had this feeling all along but that has been doubly, triply and fully acknowledged when Prime Minister of India along with the President of United States of America, got together for their Artemis Mission which is going for the polar region. They have planned a very ambitious mission. This cooperation fully acknowledges India’s contribution to the moon with the discovery of water on the moon, in the lunar polar region, specifically in the South Pole.”
“That way I feel, though we are the last entry, and we made the latest discovery which made the whole world look back at the moon in a totally different way. And, Elon Musk is talking about a lunar colony, things like that are happening. I think we have done reasonably well”, he added.
