Mumbai, Aug 23: India is literally 'moonstruck' as the much-monitored Chandrayaan-3 touched the Moon's surface on Wednesday evening, with millions of eyes peered at the Earth's sole satellite.
Besides the scientific and academic fraternity, the thrill has permeated down to the students, commoners and lovers of science.
India's maiden Moon mission, Chandrayaan-1 had gone in October 2008, followed by Chandrayan-2 in July 2019, and now Chandrayaan-3 in August 2023.
Top scientific institutions, space observatories and planetariums in the country like Mumbai's Nehru Planetarium, ISRO, IIST, IIAp, IUCAA, IISc, all IITs, several schools and colleges organised special viewing sessions.
The Nehru Science Centre has organised a series of interactive events including a workshop for students to craft paper models of Chandrayaan-3, with 50 pupils joining in, and topped off by the landing viewing.
Former TIFR scientist Prof. Mayank N. Vahia addressed a lecture giving profound insights into the Chandrayaan-3 mission, and over 400 students could witness the moon-lander in action on Wednesday evening, said an official.
Now, the next big target of attraction be the upcoming Aditya-L1 Solar Mission likely to be launched in September 2023 followed by the Gaganyaan Missions next year, said Prof. Adur.
"The Aditya-L1 spacecraft shall be placed at a point called Lagrange Point 1, around 1.50 million (15 lakhs) km from the Earth, to get an undisturbed 24x7 view of the Sun, and carry out scientific studies of our star," said Adur. (IANS)
