(AI translated version of चांद पर पिकनिक)
On this, Agnihotri said in a proud voice – Right children! The success of the lunar mission is a great achievement for the country. Would you like to know how the country achieved this feat?
All the children said in one voice – Yes Uncle!
After this, Rajendra showed a 10-minute video. Information about the country’s Chandrayaan mission was given in the video.
After the video ended, Rajendra told – Children! Chandrayaan-3 left for the moon on 14 July 2023 from Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota. ISRO scientists have made it soft land on the surface of the moon. Chandrayaan-3 completed this journey in 41 days. Now it has reached the south pole of the moon. No country has been able to reach here yet. With this, our country has become the fourth country in the world to master the technology of soft landing. India wants to study the surface of the moon in many ways. No country has yet tested the thermal characteristics on the surface of the moon. Therefore, the study of the south pole region of the moon is very important.
Yashika asked – Uncle! How much did Chandrayaan-3 cost to build?
Rajendra said – Chandrayaan-3 has been built for Rs 615 crore. Rs 978 crore was spent on Chandrayaan-2 which was sent before this. Chandrayaan-1 cost Rs 386 crore.
Aditya asked – How will Chandrayaan-3 work? What information is expected from it?
Rajendra said — Chandrayaan-3 has taken with it many instruments which will collect information about the soil of the moon and will help ISRO in taking pictures from the lunar orbit. These instruments also include Rambha and Ilsa, which will carry out several experiments sequentially during the 14-day mission.
Tomar was also listening to all this very carefully. In the end, a question had troubled him for a long time. When he could not stop himself, he asked — the names Rambha and Ilsa are very interesting. What will they do there?
Rajendra said — These instruments will study the atmosphere of the moon as well as dig on the surface to know its mineral composition. Lander Vikram will take pictures of Rover Pragyan when it lands some instruments and study the seismic activities on the moon. Chandrayaan-3 will search for water on the south pole of the moon as well as the possibility of life on the surface.
Yashika, surprised to hear this information, said — Can there be life on the moon? Will we also ever be able to land on the moon like Neil Armstrong?
Rajendra said – It is too early to say anything about life on the moon. But it is possible that when you people turn 40-45 years old, people of our country will also start touring the moon. After all, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also said that Chanda Mama will now be on the tour, not far away. So, children, there is full hope that soon we Indians will knock at the door of the moon every day!
On this Tomar said – Rajendra sahab! You told us very good things. We thank you for this. Your audio-video presentation was also great. This has doubled our enthusiasm and the children feel that the day should come soon when we Indians can go to the moon for a tour, to explore, to gather new information.
After this, Tomar started looking at the moon with the telescope kept at Rajendra’s uncle’s house with the children. During this time, they kept singing in a cheerful voice – Chanda Mama tour ke! Puye bana ke bur ke! Hum aayenge Chandrayaan se! We will celebrate the picnic with pomp and show! During this time, they were lost in the imagination that when they will go for a picnic on the moon, what food items and games will they take with them? What arrangements will have to be made for air and water there? They were confident that by the time he grew up, such things would be invented that would enable them to celebrate picnics there like on Earth without wearing masks and space suits.
