After watching Chandrayaan-3 craft development, NASA experts wanted India to share space technology: ISRO chief Somnath – Gudstory

The ISRO chief, who was addressing students at an event organized by the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Foundation in Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu, said times have changed and India is capable of making the best equipment and rockets and that is why Prime Minister Narendra Modi has Has opened the way for. Area for private players.

“Our country is a very powerful nation. did you understand? Our level of knowledge and intelligence in the country is one of the best in the world,” PTI quoted the ISRO chief as saying.

“In Chandrayaan-3, when we designed and developed the spacecraft, we invited experts from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA-JPL, which does all the rockets and the toughest missions,” PTI quoted Somnath as saying.

He further said, “About 5-6 people from NASA-JPL came (to ISRO headquarters) and we explained to them about Chandrayaan-3. This was before the soft landing (on August 23). We explained how we designed it and how our engineers built it… and how we would land on the moon’s surface, and he just said, ‘No comment. Everything is going to be good.

“One thing they (US space experts) also said was, ‘Look at the scientific instruments, they are very cheap. These are very easy to make and are high-tech. How did you make it? They were asking, “Why don’t you sell it to America,” he said.

The ISRO chief said, “So you (students) can understand how times have changed. We have been able to make the best equipment, the best equipment and the best rockets in India. That is why our Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the space sector has opened.” Added.

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Chandrayaan-3’s lander successfully landed near the moon’s south pole on August 23, making it the fourth country in the world to achieve the feat of reaching the lunar surface after the US, China and the erstwhile Soviet Union.

The ISRO chief further said, “Now we are asking you people to come and make rockets, satellites and make our country more powerful in space technology. It is not only ISRO, everyone can do this in space. There is a company in Chennai making rockets called Agnikul and a company in Hyderabad called Skyroot. At least in India today, there are five companies making rockets and satellites.”

Somnath appealed to the young audience present at the venue to follow the ideology of former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, saying that the most powerful tool is to dream. He said, “Kalam sir told you that you should dream while you are awake, not at night.”

“Does anyone have such dreams? Does anyone want to go to the moon? When we landed Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft on the Moon, I told the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) that India is on the Moon. And he asked when are you going to send an Indian to the moon. So, some of you sitting here will do that work. Some of you will design rockets that will go to the moon,” he said.

“And on the launch of Chandrayaan-10, one of you will sit inside the rocket and possibly a girl. A girl astronaut will go from India and then land on the Moon (in the Chandrayaan-10 mission),” he said amid applause from the students.

Describing Kalam as “inspirational in all the work he did”, Somnath said, “Kalam said that power is unlimited and each one of us has to find that power within ourselves.”

ISRO chief said, “It is our responsibility that every one of us contributes to nation building. And India will be a powerful country. In which area will we be strong? We will be strong in the field of technology. Because only if you have technology, others will respect you.”

Referring to his recent participation in a space conference, Somnath said everyone from NASA and space agencies of Europe, China was congratulating him for the success of Chandrayaan-3 mission. “Why are they doing this? Because they realize that India is going to become a powerful nation. You must trust it. We should also think that once upon a time we were a very powerful nation with such potential. And we got tired for various reasons.”

“Today a golden era is coming back and in the next 25 years, we have to build an India that is rich in technology. It is natural that she will become financially prosperous. When it becomes economically prosperous you should be able to influence world decisions” the ISRO chief said.

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Updated: October 15, 2023, 09:25 PM IST