DREAMVIGYAN PRASAR September 2019 l Vol. 21 l No. 12 l Rs. 5.00 Mission Chandrayaan-2 INSIDE STORIES l Editorial: Come September l Mission Chandrayaan-2 l The Buzz About Transgenic Plants l Mining for Rural People: An Oxymoron l Lessons from the Wilderness l Recent Developments in Science and Technology 36 EDITORIAL Come September Interestingly, many of us have events that had successfully happened grown up hearing and dancing to a tune simultaneously. Being an international Nakul Parashar that came from the 1961-movie Come event, it had a noteworthy event called GIST September starring Rock Hudson, Gina or the Global Indian Science & Technology Lollobrigida. This year come September has Stakeholders’ Meet. An eminent group Science & Technology. There was a Science a much more interesting moment for all of of scientists and technocrats belonging Village too which had more than five us to rejoice and remember. 7 September to the Indian diaspora was invited for hundred school students. 2019 is when Chandrayaan-2 is expected to brainstorming sessions where best practices It was indeed a mega event in the land on Moon. We’ve brought information were discussed and shared to assist the Indian series of past four IISFs. Well, what about about it in this issue and will be bringing S&T community. the IISF’s edition this year? Stay tuned, and more about this prestigious mission in our We all know that India is a young we’ll bring the details about it shortly. forthcoming issues as well. A matter of country with a huge population of young Back to Come September and some national pride, isn’t it? scientists below the age of forty. A young interesting facts again. September provides us Mission Shakti, Chandrayaan- 2, and scientists’ conference was also organised at a list of some famous scientists and inventors many more, much more – it’s is indeed IISF. Popularly known as YSC, this was an who were born this month. John Dalton, heartening to see the pace of science & opportunity for young scientists and scholars the famous British physicist who developed technology-related developments in almost to showcase their innovations and scientific the theory of atomic matter was born on 6 every sphere of life. To showcase our scientific contributions for the benefit of masses. September 1776. Carl Zeiss, founder of the and technological prowess, every year, for Our country has witnessed a huge leap famous optical lens making company from the past four years we have been witnessing in terms of agricultural research and extension Germany was also born in September (11 the famous India International Science activities. The agricultural conclave at IISF September 1816). James Dewar, inventor Festival. Popularly known as IISF, this event was quite a popular one which was attended of the thermos flask, and Seymour Cray, attracts a huge number of visitors from the by a big group of agricultural scientists, inventor of Cray 1 Supercomputer, were also scientific and non-scientific community farmers, and representatives of NGOs, and born in September. Interestingly it was on – scientists, technocrats, researchers, the industry associated with it. 8 September 1994 when Microsoft planned students, and people from every walk of Besides this, a science film festival, to rename its operating system project life, who are interested to know, meet, a women’s S&T conclave, and National from ‘Chicago’ to ‘Windows 95’. We’ve all hear, and interact with famous scientists Science Teachers’ Congress were also held at witnessed the journey of Windows since about their achievements, and viewpoint. IISF. A special event on students from the then and thereafter; rest is all history, an The last edition of IISF had happened North-East was also organised. Healthcare interesting one. in Lucknow last year and must say, it was and researches made in the area of healthcare a mini-kumbha of science & technology were also highlighted at the IISF. Face-to- practitioners and lovers. face with scientists and entrepreneurs also Email: nakul.parashar@ The event had more than two dozen happened at this mini-Kumbha of Indian vigyanprasar.gov.in n Editor : Nakul Parashar Vigyan Prasar is not responsible for the statements/opinions expressed and photographs used by the authors in their articles/write-ups published in Associate editor : Rintu Nath “Dream 2047” Production : Manish Mohan Gore and Pradeep Kumar Articles, excerpts from articles published in “Dream 2047” may be freely Expert member : Biman Basu reproduced with due acknowledgement/credit, provided periodicals in Address for Vigyan Prasar, C-24, which they are reproduced are distributed free. correspondence : Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi-110 016 Published and Printed by Manish Mohan Gore on behalf of Vigyan Tel : 011-26967532; Fax : 0120-2404437 Prasar, C-24, Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi - 110 016 and Printed e-mail : [email protected] at Aravali Printers & Publishers Pvt. Ltd., W-30, Okhla Industrial Area, website : http://www.vigyanprasar.gov.in Phase-II, New Delhi-110 020 Phone: 011-26388830-32. 35 Dream 2047, September 2019, Vol. 21 No. 12 INDIA IN SPACE Mission Chandrayaan-2 Susheela Srinivas We are off to the Moon again! This Miles to go Chandrayaan-2, time around, on a bold mission to explore unchartered territories. Chandrayaan-2, Astronomically, the Moon at 3,84,000 km India’s second mission India’s second mission to the Moon will, away from Earth. When a spacecraft is sent for the first time, unravel secrets around directly, (such as the Apollo 11 that took to the Moon, for the the Moon’s South Pole. Chandrayaan-2 is a men to the Moon), it takes a little more three-part spacecraft – an orbiter, a lander than three days to reach it. However, such first time, will unravel and a rover. The lander is named Vikram an operation calls for a very powerful rocket after Vikram Sarabhai, the founder of the and enormous consumption of fuel to escape secrets around the Indian space programme. The rover is from Earth’s gravity and go into lunar orbit. Moon’s South Pole. This named Pragyan, meaning ‘wisdom’. Compared to NASA’s massive Saturn-V This mission will not just capture rocket, which was the most powerful rocket mission will not just information of the Moon and record data ever flown, the GSLV Mk-III is a much from orbit but will land on its surface and smaller and less powerful rocket. So, ISRO capture information sample the Moon’s terrain in detail. The lander carrying of the Moon and the rover will descend from the orbiter and soft land on record data from orbit Moon. After landing, the rover will roll out and explore but will land on its the Moon surface. surface and sample Chandrayaan-2 was launched on 22 July atop the Moon’s terrain in ISRO’s GSLV Mk-III at 2:43 p.m. from the Satish detail. Chandrayaan-2 Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota. Performing as was launched on 22 expected, the rocket released Chandrayaan-2 in a highly July 2019 atop ISRO’s elliptic orbit around Earth about 17 minutes later. In GSLV Mk-III from the fact, it was released 6,000 Satish Dhawan Space km higher than planned. The solar arrays on Chandrayaan-2 Centre at Sriharikota deployed smoothly as the probe began its journey. Chandrayaan-2 was launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, on 22 July 2019 onboard GSLV Mk-III. Susheela Srinivas is a popular science writer and columnist. She writes for publications in India and abroad. Address: #189, I F Cross, 3rd stage, 4th block, Basaveshwara nagar, Bengaluru 560079. Email: [email protected] Dream 2047, September 2019, Vol. 21 No. 12 34 has chosen an indirect path for The many firsts IIRS will give a detailed picture of Chandrayaan-2 which will take a the suspected water ice source on the few weeks to reach Moon. l Chandrayaan-2 is the first spacecraft to be attempting Moon. After launch on 22 July, a soft landing in the South Polar Region. The safety of the lander Vikram Chandrayaan-2 was placed in a l It is the first mission to be developed indigenously with is in the hands of the Orbiter High- highly elongated Earth Parking home-grown technology. Resolution Camera (OHRC). OHRC Orbit; then, as it circled the Earth, l This is the first time ISRO is sending a Moon probe will peer at the landing site, leaving a series of space manoeuvres and that will deploy the lander and rover. no stone unturned to ensure that Earth’s gravity assist propelled the l With the success of Chandrayaan-2, India will be the Vikram will touch base safely. After craft farther and farther away from fourth nation to join the elite club to have soft-landed Vikram is deployed, OHRC will serve Earth. Finally, when the farthest probes on the Moon. The other three nations to do so the purpose of scanning the region for point from the Earth and closest to are the USA, Russia and China. scientific measurements. The camera the Moon was reached, the on-board will scout an area of 12 km by 3 km propulsion system fired its engines with a resolution of 0.32 m. and inject the craft into the lunar sphere of Dual Frequency Synthetic Aperture influence. The spacecraft was then placed in Radar (DFSAR) is another water mapping a 100-km high orbit around Moon. device. This instrument – an enhanced version of its counterpart from the first The eight pillars Chandrayaan mission – will quantitatively estimate the water ice in the polar craters The orbiter will carry eight instruments all along with mapping the polar regions.