The Indian flag is flying high on the moon…Wow!!!

I am sure you are as excited as I am, about India’s first mission to the moon. I have been tracking the unmanned Chandrayaan-I spacecraft since its successful launch on 22nd Oct 2008.

Since my childhood days, I have been very passionate about the moon. If anybody ever asked me then, about what is that extra-ordinary thing you would like to do in life, my answer would instantly be “I want to go to the moon”.

Even today, my dream remains intact. But offcourse today, I understand that this extra-ordinary dream will always remain unfulfilled.

However, it makes me proud and I am in a complete state of exhilaration, that India has successfully landed on the moon and the spacecraft has hoisted the Indian flag on the moon on Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s birthday, the 14th Nov 2008 at 8:31p.m IST, which is also celebrated as Children’s Day in India.

I happened to be doing a show on radio on 14th Nov 2008 and my entire show script only talked about India’s mission to the moon and I was the lucky one to give live updates of the Chandrayaan to my listeners on air.

India is the 4th country after US, Russia, European Space Agency to successfully launch its mission to the moon. It makes me say only one thing….WOW, we finally did it!!!

Highlights of the Chandrayaan-I spacecraft

• Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have designed, developed and conceptualized the Chandrayaan.
• It is an unmanned vehicle to the moon.
• Weighing 1,380 kg at launch and 675 kg at lunar orbit.
• The Chandrayaan-I spacecraft cost ISRO Rs. 386 crores only, which is said to be the most reasonably priced spacecraft, as compared to the other spacecrafts launched to the moon.
• It was launched on 22nd Oct 2008 and is India’s first mission to the moon.
• The box-shaped 35-kg moon impact probe (MIP), with the colours of the Indian flag painted on its four sides, detached itself from the spacecraft and touched down on the lunar surface on 14th Nov 2008 at 08:31 p.m.
• The Chandrayaan will continue to orbit the moon for the next 2 years.

Did you know

The moon is approximately 400,000kms away from the earth. Using the earth’s rotational energy, the moon propels itself higher in the orbit each year, hence moving farther away.

It is said that, when the moon was formed, it was only 22,530kms away from the earth. Today it is 400,000kms away from the earth. It is believed that the moon used to be a part of the earth, however gradually due to certain reaction it got separated from earth.

There is an existence of gravitational force between earth and moon due to which moon revolves around the earth. The moon does not have the light of its own, however it gets its light from the sun. It is because of the sunlight, that we see light emerging out of the moon.

14th Nov 2008 is a day written in history, a day when India left its footprints on the moon. It is really wonderful to see India catching up with the rest of the world.

We salute you India…..Sare Jahaan Se Accha, Hindustan Hamara.

If you have your views/ comments/ queries, you can write to me at simplymearl@live.com or leave your inputs in the comments tab below.

Before I sign out, as I always say take very good care of yourself and God Bless!